Salyan (Salyani / Saljan)

Separated from the Kura river by the main road and the railway, Salyan has a road bridge guarded with carved lions, but is known for its older rail bridge built by World War II Germans POWs. There is a Regional Historical Museum on Kurchayli Street.

The river is quite scenic, with numerous meanders, which are a nice change from the endless steppe enveloping the town. This plain is quite boring, without much apart from the occasional wild camel, to break the monotony.

After the road bridge there is a small lake, surrounded with vegetation, with an intersting café built on stilts. The town also has a couple of basic places to eat.

The roads are not great, but the town is easily accessible, located on the road leading north to Alat and Baku. Five kilometres from the centre there is the Babazanan mud volcano, attracting visitors who come for mud treatments at the local spa.

Fifteen kilometres north of the town there is large war memorial at what used to be the Duyamaliev kolkhoz.

Salyan rayon comprises most of the Shirvan National Reserve, extending from road M3 till the Caspian sea. It was established with the purpose of protecting jeyrans and waterfowls, but a lot more can be found. Diverse vegetation covers the park, with abundace of sweet absinthium. The fauna is composed of: Syrian green toad, tree-frog and lacustrine frog; marsh, Caspian and Mediterranean turtles, striped lizards, water snakes, lizard snakes, Bustard, Turach, Little Bustard, Erne, Rock Egle, Falcon, Baloban, Black-belly Sandgrouse, Grey Ducks, Mallards, Pintails, jeyran, wild boar, wolf, jackal, fox, badger, cane cat, grey hare...

The rayon hosts several archeological sites covering the period from the Bronze Age to the Early Middle Ages. Among them the Marimli necropolis, Gursanga necropolis, and the Nohudlu and Mahmudabad ruins.

(150 km south-west of Baku)