Krasnaya Sloboda

Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Town) sits directly across the Kudyal river from Quba, connected by a bridge from Nizami Park. It is one of the last surviving mountain Jewish communities in the world — the Tats, a people who speak an Iranian language and follow Judaism, have lived here for centuries. The town has its own synagogues, community institutions, and a way of life distinct from both Quba and the Azerbaijani mainstream.

Walking through Krasnaya Sloboda, you notice the prosperity: many houses are large, well-finished, and recently renovated, funded by the diaspora. There are several active synagogues, including a large modern one built with diaspora money. The community is generally welcoming of curious visitors. The best approach is simply to walk across the bridge and explore on foot — the town is small enough to see in a couple of hours.

things to do sight neighbourhood
A story
Krasnaya Sloboda is one of the last places in the world where Mountain Jews — Tats who adopted Judaism centuries ago — have maintained an unbroken community. Unlike most Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union, which saw mass emigration after 1991, Krasnaya Sloboda has retained a stable population of several thousand, partly because many families have prospered through the New York diamond trade and remit money home.