Cultural sightseeing in Azerbaijan. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Azerbaijan is famous as a country of palaces. Indeed, the number of luxurious residences is truly big in this country. First of all, it is important to mention the Palace of Shaki Khans that is a fantastic example of oriental architecture, Middle Eastern design, and unique wall ornaments. This building is located in the central part of Shaki. The palace was built in the 18th century. It is a notable example of the Persian style. By the way, the size of the palace is not big – only two floors, and the total square is hardly more than three hundred square meters.

Despite its small size, the Palace of Shaki Khans strikes visitors with its beauty. Inside, guests will find six rooms connected by four corridors. The building has two balconies and is decorated with intricate ornaments and fabulous drawings of military and hunting scenes. The central element of the façade is no less interesting. It is a large stained-glass window that consists of colored glass with skillfully made treillage. The palace is widely recognized as one of the best examples of the 18th-century architecture among all Caucasian cities.

The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is another landmark that deserves a visit. Located in the center of the country’s capital, this palace once belonged to the rulers of Shirvan. The palace is, actually, an ensemble of several buildings that includes courtyard Divan-khana, the Mausoleum of Seyyid Yahya Bakuvi, the Keygubad Mosque, shrine, and bathhouses. It took more than one century to build this gorgeous complex. Building works started in the XIII century and ended only in the XVI century. Quite an interesting fact: every new architect tried to follow the style of the preceding architect, and this is the reason why the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and all adjacent buildings look so harmonious and similar. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Old City (or Iceri Seher) is the place where history lives. The ancient ensemble is located above the Caspian Sea and is protected by a durable wall that is more than eight meters high. The wall has more than two dozens of turrets and five gates. The capital of Azerbaijan grew from this ancient quarter. This is a unique and important landmark of Baku, so wonder why it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Old City is one of the first landmarks in the country that was added to this honorable list.

The Maiden Tower is one of the main symbols of Baku. The tower is located to the south-east of the Old City. It is a unique landmark of Azerbaijani architecture – the likes of this tower do not exist anywhere else in the Middle East. Located close to the sea shoreline, the tower was built from local limestone. The height of this tower is almost thirty meters. Inside, the tower is divided into eight parts connected by a steep ladder. The world-famous landmark raises many questions among historians and architects, and the purpose of the tower is the main of them. It is still not clearly known, what was the purpose of the building.

Baku Carpet Museum is an interesting object that is worth visiting. It was founded not so long ago – in the 60s of the previous century. However, it is the first museum of this kind in the world. Initially, the exhibition of the museum was located in Juma Mosque, the Old City. However, thirty years later, the mosque became a religious shrine again, and so the exhibition was moved to the museum center. It remained there until the beginning of this century when a new museum building finished. This is a grandiose building that is made in the shape of a folded carpet.

To get acquainted with the written culture of Azerbaijan, consider visiting the Nizami Museum of Azerbaijani Literature. It was founded in 1939. The museum is located in the center of Baku and it is interesting not only because of its exhibition but also because of the building it is open in. The museum is located in a former building of a caravanserai that dates back to the 19th century. The historic building was restored in the previous century. The caravanserai got two more floors, and its façade is now decorated with several white sculptures. The museum is regularly upgraded, and new halls are added to it. Nowadays, it exhibits more than twenty thousand artifacts.