Ganja is Azerbaijan’s second-largest city. It was named Elizavetpol in the Russian Empire, and Kirovabad in the USSR. According to the official government data, at the beginning of 2006, the population of Ganja was 305,600. Modern historians believe that the Persian name Ganja (Ganjeh, Ganja derives from the New Persian ganj (treasure, treasury)) suggests that the city existed in pre-Islamic times and was likely founded in the fifth century A.D. The area in which there was Ganja, during the 9th to 12th century named Arran; its urban population spoke mainly in the Persian language. The economy of Ganja is partially agricultural, partially tourist based, with some industries in operation. The city has one of the largest textile conglomerates in Azerbaijan and famous for fabric named Ganja silk, which received the highest marks markets of neighboring countries and Middle East. In addition to Persian- and Turkic-speaking Muslims, the city has had a numerically, economically and, culturally significant Armenian community. Among the Armenians, the city is known as Gandzak. The word Gandzak is likewise associated with the concept of treasure or riches - gandz (Arm. - ????????). The city's historically important Christian figures include Kirakos Gandzaketsi, author of the History of the Armenians), Armenian philosopher Mkhitar Gosh author of the Code of Laws that was used in Armenia, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and Armenian diasporan groups in Europe, 13th century polymath Vardan Areveltsi and Grigor Paron-Ter, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem. Among the modern time's prominent Armenian person's of the city were Russian-Armenian architect Karo Halabyan, secretary of Armenian SSR communist party, President Askanaz Mravyan, Marshall Hovhannes Baghramyan, Chief Marshal Hamazasp Babadzhanian and the Olympic champion Albert Azaryan. The founder of the Hethumid dynasty, Oshin of Lampron was an Armenian nakharar and lord of a castle near Ganja who fled to Cilicia in 1075 during...