Palace of shirvanshahs: description, excursions. Baku city: sights

The palace of Shirvanshahs is a pride and pearl of the architectural heritage of Azerbaijan. Somehow this castle was the residence of the rulers of Shirvan. There is a palace in the very center of the capital of the state. It seems that the history of this landmark does not present any interest. But this is the object most explored in the country. His study deals with many architects and scientists. Millions of tourists visit this place every year. The complex is incredibly beautiful. His attractiveness has not faded over the years, despite the fact that he has experienced many historical events.

History of sight

On the building of the citadel there are no inscriptions on the date of its structure. Historians establish the time of its erection, using headings on architectural objects belonging to the palace complex. So, on the minaret of the Shah's mosque and on the tomb were completely preserved two such inscriptions. This information indicates that these buildings were built by order of Shirvan Khalil-ulla I. The tomb indicates that it refers to 839, and the minaret is designated 845th.

If you believe one of the theories put forward by the historian Leviath, the palace of shirvanshahs was erected in the first decades of the fifteenth century. Until 1501 there are no sources at all in which this landmark was mentioned. In one of the Persian chronicles we are talking about the fact that the army of shirvanshah Farrukh-yessar in 1501 was defeated by the forces of Shah Ismail I. Farrukh-yessar was killed. The army of Ismail I took Baku and partially destroyed the palace.

There is no evidence of what the Shirvanshah Palace was until the first half of the sixteenth century. In 1578, Baku was under the rule of the Turks. On the territory of the sights the gates that were built during the reign of the Ottoman Empire were preserved. Since the XVII century the building of the palace has deserted. It was inhabited only by some government officials.

In 1723 the army of Peter I bombarded Baku. And the palace of shirvanshahs was partially damaged. In the middle of the XIX century, the landmark in a ruinous state was handed over to the Russian department. During this period the palace is being repaired, some of its premises are converted to warehouses. Until 1992, the facility moved from department to department, rebuilt, rebuilt. The next repair work was completed only in 2006.

Objects that are part of the palace complex

The palace of Shirvanshahs (Baku) consists of many buildings: directly the palace itself, mosque, baths, Ovdan and others. Regular excursions are organized for each of them. And first of all I would like to talk about the building of the palace. It did not occur at the same time. The earliest structure is the central part. The zone that adjoins the western facade was erected a little later.

Originally there were 52 rooms in the palace, which were connected with each other by means of three spiral staircases. On the first floor there were 27 rooms, and on the second - 25. The layout of both floors is almost identical. In the central part of the wall were made thicker. The main entrance to the palace is arranged in the western facade. And it is decorated with a high portal. All the rooms on the second floor look more solemn. There are also rooms for the Shah's family and himself.

Throughout the palace there are guided tours. In addition to architecture, you can see a variety of household items found during excavations on the site. So, jewelry and weapons dating from the 19th century, coins dating from the 12th-15th centuries, Shemakha carpets (XIX) and other artifacts were exhibited.

Another object of the palace

Divan-khan is also a part of the palace of Shirvanshahs. This object is a closed courtyard, framed on three sides by a lancet arcade. In the center of the architectural composition Diwan-khan on a tall stylobate there is a rotunda-octagonal pavilion. Her room is surrounded by an open arcade. The western facade is highlighted by a portal decorated with arabesques. Through it passes the way to the hall. They connect the hall, the crypt located in the stylobate, and the service rooms.

There is no unequivocal version regarding the appointment of Diwan-khan. There are several opinions. It was assumed that this object served to receive guests, state council, legal proceedings or in general it was a mausoleum. There are also theories that this room was called a court or a reception apartment of the palace. Divan-khan dates from the end of the XV century. Such conclusions are made on the basis of analysis of the features of the style of construction. The features of the architectural plan, the lapidary inscription above the entrance to the hall and the crypt-dungeon testify to the memorial significance of Diwan-khan.

Shrine of rulers

The Shirvanshahs palace (Azerbaijan) also has a family burial vault. This is a rectangular building, topped with a hexagonal dome. Outside it is decorated with multi-beam stars. Above the entrance opening there is an inscription that speaks eloquently about the purpose of the object. In the center of the building there is a funeral room with a dome. Under it is a crypt with five burials: in two graves children are buried, in three - adults.

Mausoleum of the "dervish"

Mausoleum of Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, or the mausoleum of the "dervish", is located in the southern courtyard, next to the palace. It was built in the second half of the XV century. Known for the fact that the court scholar Seyyed Yahya Bakuvi was buried there. He served Khalil-ulle I. The scientist specialized in astronomy, mathematics and medicine.

The mausoleum has an octagonal body, ending with a pyramidal tent. Inside there is an underground crypt in which the tombstone of Bakuvi is located, and a camera is placed above the tombstone. In the limestone slabs, located on the sides of the mausoleum, three small windows are carved. They are stone through gratings. In the arched part there is an opening that used to unite the mausoleum and the older mosque.

"Old" mosque

In the ancient times, a shrine was erected to the mausoleum of Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, called "old". The attraction was also known as Kei Kubada Mosque. It was erected on the site of a very old building. It happened at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries. The object was overlapped by a dome supported by four columns of stone. The laying of the mausoleum and the mosque were tied together. The "old" shrine was burnt during the fire of 1918. Today, on the site of the sanctuary of Kay-Kubad stands a pair of columns that were once in the middle of the object. Also, a fragment of the wall with the roof was preserved.

Baths of the palace complex

In the palace ensemble there are also Shirvanshah baths. They are located at the very bottom of the structure. Sightseeing was discovered in the late 30-ies of the last century. As a result of the excavations, a huge bath was found, consisting of 26 rooms. It was covered with soil, and above it was a garden. The facility was partially cleared in 1953, and in 1961 it was mothballed. The remaining fragments of the walls indicate that the rooms of the bath were covered with domes. There were holes for light in them.

The semi-underground accommodation of the bath allowed to keep cool in the summer and warm in winter. The object consisted of two large rooms of a square shape. Four pylons dismembered them into smaller rooms. The outer group of the room was intended for undressing, and the inner one was intended for bathing. In the second section there were ponds for hot and cold water, a large combustion chamber was equipped. Warmed the water and the room with yellow stones from white condensed oil. Today, excursions to the citadel of Shirvanshahs are conducted daily from 10 am to 5 pm. The cost of tickets starts from one dollar. Children entrance is free.

The oldest symbol of Baku

The city of Baku, whose sights we are considering, is a place that abounds in various cultural and historical objects. One of them is his most ancient symbol - the Maiden's Tower. This is a huge, impressive building that is located on a rock. According to the scientists, the attraction was built in a couple of stages: half the building was erected in the V century, and the other half - in the XII. There is no unified opinion that would accurately describe the purpose of the object. He is credited with the role of the lighthouse, the defensive structure, the observatory, the temple of the goddess Anahita, and the Zoroastrian dachna.

Five-kilometer boulevard

The city of Baku, the sights in which meet at every step, is a resort. Therefore, it would be surprising if there was not a beautiful place connected with the sea here. Primorsky Boulevard is a park that runs along the bay. It has a stretch of almost five kilometers. To build it began at the beginning of the last century. Work has not ended to this day.

At first the boulevard was conceived as one-story. But since in 1977 the level of the Caspian Sea dropped, it was decided to build a lower terrace. Today, a lot of cafes, attractions and restaurants are open on the boulevard. Here grows several tens of thousands of all kinds of plants, among which there are giant cacti and baobabs. There is a puppet theater and a yacht club on the boulevard.