Contents: Baku Acropolis caravan Synyk-Kala, Baku Kala, Baku Gyz Galasy - The Maiden Tower, Baku Towers of Absheron, Baku Ateshgah, Baku The Market Place, Baku Gobustan's Rock Drawings, Baku Murad's Gate, Baku Tuba-Shakhi, Baku Bail Castle, Baku Mardakayany, Nardaran, Bilgyakh, Ramana, Mashtaga mosques, baths, ovdans Djuma Absheron Shakhi Nakhchivan Agdam Agstafa Alat Aqsu Balakan Barda Beylaqan Bilesuvar Fizuli Celilabad

Icheri Sheher, Baku

Baku Acropolis”, “Old City ”, “Inner City”–all these names are applied to this unique architectural complex located right in Baku center. “Icheri Sheher”is the city's heart. It is the birthplace of ancient Baku . The city was growing and in the 12 th century in was surrounded by the fortified walls. This is why “Icheri Sheher”is sometimes referred to as a fortress.

Behind dilapidated walls you can see numerous unique monuments: Shirvan Dynasty Palace and Tomb, divankhane, mosque; “Hys Halasy”(“Maiden Tower ”); mosques and minarets, remains of caravanserais, bath. The buildings of the old fortress are distinguished by their special features. Due to the lack of space the buildings used to be erected on “wall-to-wall”principle. You won't see any gardens there; the yards are extremely small and are separated by “threads”of the narrow streets, passages and dead ends.

The wall itself is special indeed. There used to be two of them around Baku and they were separate by moats. However, in the early 19 th century the city's growth was so rapid that it was decided to demolish the outer wall and build dwelling houses instead. The inner wall is still there with 25 towers and 5 gates.

They say that in the 1930s the fortress consisted of 900 buildings but only half of them survived by the early 21st century.

Synyk-Kala, Baku

The most ancient building not only in “Icheri-Sheher”but in the entire Azerbaijan is Mohammed Mosque (named after architect Mohammed Abu-Bakr) also known as Synyk-Kala.

The monument's age is confirmed by the inscription in Arab characters engraved on the stone slab placed beside the mosque entrance (1078—1079 AD or the year of 471 by Hidzhra).

The Mosque got its name “Synyk-Kala”in the 18 th century when in 1723 Baku was conquered by the armies of Peter I. The city was heavily bombarded by shipborne cannons. One cannon-ball destroyed the upper part of Mohammad Mosque minaret but the structure itse да survived. As result the people gave the mosque a name Synyk-Kala which means “Destroyed Tower ”. The half-destroyed minaret is still towers over the mosque as if reaching for the sky. That is what makes Synyk-Kala so different from other “Icheri-Sheher”mosques.

Today the tours around the mosque are allowed. However, according to Muslim laws only men can get access there. Like every other mosque in “Icheri-Sheher”it has a low vaulted arch so that everyone entering inside bowed his head in front of the Most High.

The mosque is made of two tiers. The structural feature is in the mihrab's half-cylindrical shape and its protrudence from the wall's outer line. The mosque's interior is lit by natural light penetrating through the only colored stained-glass window and a few dim lamps from inside.

Gyz Galasy - The Maiden Tower, Baku

The most magnificent and mysterious landmark of Baku and in particular "Icheri-sheher" is "Gyz Galasy" - "The Maiden Tower". It has no analogues in entire Orient and is considered an unofficial symbol of Baku . The cylindrically-shaped tower was constructed on a ledge of the rock jutting into the Caspian Sea . It is made from grey limestone and converges to its top. Therefore its walls thickness at the basis is 5 m , and at the top - 4 m . The tower stands 29.5 m tall, its diameter is 16.5 m . Inside Gyz Galasy is divided into 8 tiers. Each of them is covered by a stone dome with a round aperture. The access to the very top is possible by means of winding stone stairs. The wonderful view of entire Baku bay opens from there. There is a 21 m well inside the tower. The water there was pure and fresh. The light got inside the tower through narrow loophole-type windows.

The tower's age is still a subject of historical disputes. In classical history the time of its construction is defined by 12th century. So says a Kufi inscription on the outside tower part (at the height of 14 m from the ground): "gubba" (dome) of Massud ibn Davud". But many historians argue this point of view saying that the slab in the brickwork appeared later to fill up a gap in the wall. Having studied the lime mortar and the color of the stones used for the tower construction, the scientists assume that it was erected not earlier than the 1st century (the most ancient building constructed with such mortar was found in Gabala and is dated 1st century AD), but not later than 10th century AD (as the stones used for construction of the tower and Mohammed's mosque are practically identical). And finally the others consider that at exterior comparison of the brickwork it is clearly seen that the lower tier of the structure is much older than the upper one. Thus, the tower was built in 2 stages: the bottom part of the monument (up to 13.7 m ) had been constructed in the 5th-6th centuries, and the upper part was completed in the 12th century.

What was the purpose of this tower? It was poorly suitable for defense because of its small area. Narrow window apertures did not serve well for resisting enemy attacks. Most likely originally the tower was constructed as a Zorasatrian temple of fire: in those times people were not buried - their corpses were exposed to predatory birds.

But in the 12th century "Gyz Galasy" was one of the most powerful strongholds of Shirvan Dynasty. In the 18th - 19th centuries the Maiden Tower was used as a beacon.

"Maiden" means "unsubdued", "impregnable". Local residents' legend runs as follows: “The Shah fell in love with his own daughter and decided to marry her. Terrified by the forthcoming marriage with her father and in attempt to dissuade him, the daughter asked her father to build a tower in hope that during construction her father would change his mind. But the Shah did not change his decision so the girl climbed up the tower and jumped from it into the sea”.

According to another legend, the biblical one, it was near "The Maiden Tower" where Saint Bartholomew, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, was executed. Bartholomew appeared on Baku 's territory in the 1st century AD popularizing Christianity among pagans. However, Bartholomew's doctrine was rejected and he was executed near the walls of "The Maiden Tower". The place of the execution is marked by a small chapel. In Fact it was absolutely real and is clearly visible in the 1890 photo of "The Maiden Tower".

Inside the tower there is a museum. Its collection consists of ancient utensils, carpets, amusing installations showing life in the 18th-19th centuries: oil recovery from a well by means of a bucket, a supper in chaikhana, etc.

The tower has been repeatedly restored. Presently the big market place and surrounding arcade have been renewed. Since 2000 it has been in the list of UNESCO monuments.

The Market Place, Baku

In front of the tower there is an ancient market place surrounded by a colonnade and arches. The area lies 5 meters below the ground level - so thick is the centuries old cultural layer. Numerous souvenir shops sank underground. Today the area has been restored in full, the people can again enjoy the sight of columns and arches as well as …the most ancient gravestones and sarcophagi. The matter is that during excavations the archeologists found the most ancient burial place all finds of which were placed on the market area. Arabian texts from the Koran and verses of such great poets as Sadi and Omar Khayyam can be read on their surfaces.

Murad's Gate, Baku

The eastern wall of "Icheri Sheher" fortress has the portal called "Murad's Gate" or simply the Eastern portal. It is also a part of the complex but it was erected in the citadel's a wall considerably later than all other structures when Baku was conquered by Turks in the 16th century. The gate was named after Turkish sultan Murad III.

Architecturally the eastern portal is made in style of divankhane and tombs of Shirvan Dynasty but one can notice some elements of building art recession: poor quality of stone, Azerbaijani ornamental skill purity decay. It was conditioned by hard times, numerous military attacks on the peninsula.

" Murad's Gate" was constructed by an architect from Tabriz . The upper part of the portal is decorated with the inscription in Arabian language: "This noble building was built in the days of rule of the most just and the greatest sultan Murad Ulu Rajab-baba Bakuji in the year of 994 (1585-1586)". From both sides the "plate" is decorated with a vegetative ornament. Unlike other palace portals this one has a wide entrance similar to a gate. Probably this structure was used as entrance into a building which has not survived or had not been erected.

Bail Castle, Baku

This mythically sunken city is surrounded by an aura of secrets, legends and enigmas. This monument is a kind of "Baku Atlantis" sunk as a result of human imperfection …

However, unlike Atlantis the existence of Bail castle is unequivocal. In 1232-1235 Shirvanshah Fariburz III in attempts to protect Baku from the sea began construction of a stronghold which later got the name Bail castle, also known as Sabail Castle, Shakhri Saba, Shakhri Nau, submerged city, "Bail Stones". The castle shrouded in legends is an outstanding monument of Azerbaijani architecture connected with Alexander the Great, Aristotle and others. Now it is completely under water at about 350 m from the coast.

The castle was constructed according to the project of architect Zejnaddin ibn Abu Rashid Shirvani. The structure is similar to extended irregular rectangular (180 х40) . The foundation shape was exactly the same as that of the island's coastline. Fortifications of the castle were 1.5- 2 m thick with 15 towers 3 of which were round, and 12 - semicircular. During the excavations the foundations of 9 premises were found. The western wall is adjoined with the destroyed platform - the basis of the central tower which was used simultaneously as a watchtower and a beacon. Historians also believe that there was a fire-worshippers' temple.

Along the entire upper part of the fortress there runs a strip of inscriptions in Arabian and Farsi together with the images of human faces and imaginary animals. The overall length of the inscription is about 400 meters . Among the decrypted parts of the inscription are three fragments with the construction date - the year of 632 (1234-1235), and the name of the architect. Further in the text there is the genealogy of Shirvanshahs Mazjadids dynasty done by means of human crowned heads images. The figures of various animals designate the years of this or that Shirvanshah rule.

These inscriptions have no analogues in the Middle East ; it was rhe first time that pictures of humans and animals were found on a Muslim monument. Unfortunately, the fortress' upper part is completely destroyed; only the bottom part of the walls and towers has survived.

In 1306 as a result of the strongest earthquake which occur in the south of the Caspian Sea and the sea level rise the fortress sunk under water. From the early 14th century and up to the early 18th century the structure was deluged by the Caspian Sea . In 1723 due to the Caspian Sea level lowering the top of the tower appeared above the water. But today it is completely under water.

Kala, Baku

At a first glance this small settlement in vicinities of Baku is not different from other ones scattered across entire Absheron. But the archeological excavations proved its rich historical heritage. This is why in 1988 the territory of the settlement was declared the State Historical - E thnographic Reserve (the area of more than 200 hectares ) with 243 historical -architectural monuments (mosques, baths, ovdans (underground water reservoirs), dwelling housed and barns, etc.).

The name Kala means "fortress" and originates from the 14th century citadel located on upland there. The citadel's tower is almost completely destroyed, only the ruins of fortifications and a medieval Djuma-mosque adjoining to them have survived.

The interior of Djuma-mosque is covered by curved arches. The entrance into the mosque underground gallery is still there.

Kala has structures characteristic for Absheron building school of the 18th century: gapless fences made of large monolithic stone blocks, with square foundations and dome-shaped roofs. On the settlement's territory there were a few baths, wells and water reservoirs which were used for collection of underground water. The most ancient well on the territory of the cemetery is dated 1665.

But the most interesting is the ancient cemetery of Kala . There one can see absolutely unique tombs in the form of crypts, covered by hipped domes, big stone slabs. There are no inscriptions on the tombs. Therefore it is difficult to tell who is buried there: noblemen or clergymen. But not all tombs are oriented to Mecca as is required by Muslim tradition. There are tombs with stone chests ornate with carved ornaments and Arabic inscriptions.

The cemetery has two ancient mausoleums: Mohammed's mausoleum (1624-1625) and the mausoleum of the 18th century.

Towers of Absheron, Baku

The entire Absheron peninsula ( Baku region) is dotted by ancient castles and fortresses. All of them are included into the uniform system of defensive installations. Such castles and towers can be seen in Mardakayany, Nardaran, Bilgyakh, Ramana, Mashtaga and other settlements. Powerful towers, castles, palaces and other structures of the 12th-15th centuries are included into the gold fund of architecture monuments of Azerbaijan .

These citadels were located outside the fortifications and consequently were intended not for lasting dwelling but only for brief repulse of enemy attacks, i.e. they were temporary refuge for the feudal lord and his vassals during defense actions. In the 17th-18th centuries towers played role of signal lanterns. As soon as the enemy approached oil was lit on tower tops thus warning the population of danger.

The largest military constructions were carried out during the rule and strengthening of Shirvan Dynasty on Absheron peninsula (the 12th century).

Ateshgah, Baku

The Temple of Eternal Fire - Ateshgah - is an authentic Azerbaijani exotic. It is well-known practically all over the world. It is located 30 km from the center of Baku in the suburb of Surakhany. This territory is known for such unique natural phenomenon as burning natural gas outlets (underground gas coming onto surface contacts oxygen and lights up). The temple in its present state was constructed in the 17th-18th centuries. It was built by the Baku-based Hindu community related to Sikhs.

However, the history of the Temple is even longer. From times immemorial this was the holy place of Zoroastrians- fire worshippers (approximately beginning of our era). They attributed mystical significance to the inextinguishable fire and came there to worship the relic.

After the introduction of Islam Zoroastrian temple was destroyed. Many Zoroastrians left to India and there continued their worship. But in the 15th -17th centuries the Hindus-fire worshippers who came to Absheron with trading caravans began to make pilgrimages to Surakhany. The Indian merchants started erection of the temple. The earliest temple part is dated 1713. The latest - the central temple-altar was built with the support of merchant Kanchangar in 1810. During the 18th century chapels, cells, a caravanserai were added to the central part of the temple. On у can find carved inscriptions in Indian lettering there.

In the early 19th century the Temple acquired its present-day appearance. Ateshgah is a pentagonal structure with a castellation and entrance portal. In the center of a yard the altar-sanctuary executed in the form of a stone bower on which angles some more centers are located towers. In the center of an altar - a well from which beat "eternally" burning gas.

Above the entrance portal is a traditional guest room or "balakhane". Near the temple there is big pit where they used to burn bodies of dead Hindus in the sacred fire.

In the mid-19th century due to the movement of the surface the natural gas yield ceased. Pilgrims interpreted it as the punishment from the gods and left. Ateshgah as a place of worship existed until 1880.

Today this ancient Zoroastrian temple has been opened for tourists attracting them with artificial fires.

Gobustan's Rock Drawings, Baku

Museum of Petroglyphs is another name for Gobustan - a mountainous place in the southeast of the Major Caucasian ridge located 60 km from Baku . The archaeologists found there the ancient sites of primitive people who left behind numerous rock drawings - Petroglyphs. This primitive art displays the culture, economy, outlooks, customs and traditions of ancient people.

Long time ago the sea waves licked these mountains and then abandoned them leaving characteristic relief traces on the polished rocks.

After their first accidental discovery in the 30s of the 20th century more than 6 thousand of these unusual drawings (on 1,000 rocks) have been found. Along with them ancient primitive dwellings - caves and sites - and more than 100 thousand objects of material culture have been found.

Gobustan's petroglyphs are referred to various epochs. They were made from the10th -18th centuries BC to the Middle Ages.

The drawings clearly reflect the entire evolution of humans. Here are the scenes of mountain goat hunt, ceremonial dances with spears - the most ancient period of time, mesolite. Now you see the images of horse and unmounted hunting, battles, collective work, harvesting, a woman near the fire. These are the first centuries AD - transition to a new level of social order. Closer to the Middle Ages the drawings decrease in sizes and become more schematical.

Rock drawings perpetuated the figures of the animals which lived there for the last 10 thousand years - goitered gazelles, wild goats, deer, wild boars, horses, lions, etc. There are also images of birds, fishes, snakes, lizards and insects.

Among the abundance of drawings a special place is occupied by the images of boats with oarsmen. It is the evidence of the fact that ancient settlers were good seamen. These images attracted attention of the well-known scientist and traveler Tur Heerdal who repeatedly visited this place.

Except for the ancient drawings a remarkable Latin inscription was found at the foot of Mount Beyuk-dash in Gobustan. It is dated 1st century AD and testifies about the Roman armies stay near Baku .

Since 1966 the territory of Gobustan has been regarded as national reserve. Today is an open-air museum. Annually this stone picture gallery is visited by thousands people from all over the world.

Tuba-Shakhi, Baku

Tuba-Shakhi Mosque in Mardakjan village was constructed in the 15th century by the order of some Tuba-Shakhi and was named after her. This cult structure has survived in good condition is an example of classical architecture of medieval Azerbaijan . The mosque's walls were made from smooth dressed stone; the rectangular windows are decorated with geometrical patterns of stone lattices. The facade top is decorated with the carved cornice. The portal entrance juts out a little. It looks quite modest as it is not distinguished by decoration. Above the portal there is the indication of the year of its construction (1481-1482).