Mingachevir (Azerbaijani: Mingəçevir), is the fourth-largest city in Azerbaijan with a population of about 150,000. It is known as city of lights because of its hydroelectric power station on the Kur River, which splits the city in half.The area has been settled for thousands of years, but the current city was founded in 1948, partly by German soldiers who were taken prisoner during World War II. Mingechevir is also home to Mingachevir Polytechnic Institute.