Palace of the Shirvanshahs: description, excursions. Baku city attractions

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is the pride and pearl of the architectural heritage of Azerbaijan. Once this castle was the residence of the rulers of Shirvan. The palace is located in the very center of the capital of the state. It seems that the history of this attraction is no longer of any interest. But it is this object that is most explored in the country. Many architects and scientists are studying it. Millions of tourists visit this place every year. The complex is incredibly beautiful. His appeal has not faded over the years, despite the fact that he survived many historical events.

History of the attraction

There are no inscriptions on the building of the citadel about the date of its construction. Historians establish the time of its construction, using the headings on the architectural objects belonging to the palace complex. So, on the minaret of the Shah's mosque and on the tomb, two such inscriptions were completely preserved. This information suggests that these buildings were built by order of Shirvan Khalil-ulla I. On the tomb it is indicated that it belongs to the year 839, and on the minaret the year 845 is indicated.

If you believe one of the theories put forward by the historian Leviatov, then the Shirvanshahs' palace was built in the first decades of the 15th century. Until 1501, there are no sources at all that would mention this attraction. In one of the Persian chronicles, it is said that the army of the Shirvanshah Farrukh-yessar was defeated by the troops of Shah Ismail I in 1501. Farrukh-yessar died. The army of Ismail I took Baku and partially destroyed the palace.

There is no evidence of what the palace of the Shirvanshahs was like before the first half of the 16th century. In 1578 Baku was ruled by the Turks. On the territory of the attraction, gates have been preserved, which were equipped during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. Since the 17th century, the palace building has been empty. Only a few representatives of the authorities lived in it.

In 1723, the army of Peter I bombarded Baku. And the palace of the Shirvanshahs was partially damaged. In the middle of the 19th century, the landmark in a ruinous state was transferred to the Russian department. During this period, the palace was being renovated, some of its premises were converted into warehouses. Until 1992, the object passed from department to department, rebuilt, reconstructed. The next repair work was completed only in 2006.

Objects included in the palace complex

The Palace of the Shirvanshahs (Baku) consists of many buildings: the palace itself, a mosque, baths, Ovdan and others. To each of themexcursions are organized regularly. And first of all, I would like to talk about the building of the palace. It didn't happen at the same time. The central part is considered to be the earliest building. The area adjacent to the west facade was built a little later.

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

Guided tours throughout the palace. In addition to architecture, you can see a variety of household items found during excavations on the site. Thus, jewelry and weapons dating back to the 19th century, coins dating back to the 12th-15th centuries, Shemakha carpets (XIX) and other exhibits are exhibited.

Another palace object

Divan Khane is also part of the Shirvanshahs' palace. This object is a closed courtyard, framed on three sides by a lancet arcade. In the center of the architectural composition of the Divan-khane, on a tall stylobate, there is an octahedral rotunda-pavilion. Its hall is surrounded by an open arcade. The western facade is highlighted by a portal decorated with arabesques. Through it passes the path to the canopy. They connect the hall, the crypt, located instylobate, and office space.

There is no unequivocal version regarding the purpose of the Divan Khane. There are several opinions. It was assumed that this object served for the reception of guests, the state council, legal proceedings, or in general it was a mausoleum. There are also theories that this room was called the courtroom or the receiving apartments of the palace. The sofa-khane dates back to the end of the 15th century. Such conclusions are made on the basis of an analysis of the features of the building style. The features of the architectural plan, the lapidary inscription above the entrance to the hall and the underground crypt testify to the memorial significance of the Divan Khan.

Tomb of the rulers

The Palace of the Shirvanshahs (Azerbaijan) also has a family tomb. It is a rectangular building topped with a hexagonal dome. Outside, it is decorated with multi-beam stars. There is an inscription above the entrance opening, which speaks eloquently about the purpose of the object. In the center of the building is a burial room with a dome. Below it is a crypt with five burials: children are buried in two graves, adults are buried in three.

Dervish Mausoleum

The 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 15th century. Known for the fact that the court scholar Seyid Yahya Bakuvi is buried in it. He served Khalilu-ulla 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 whichBakuvi's tombstone 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 bars. There is an opening in the arched part, which used to unite the mausoleum and the more ancient mosque.

The Old Mosque

To the mausoleum of Seyyid Yahya Bakuvi in ancient times, a shrine called "old" was added. The attraction was also known as the Kei-Kubada Mosque. It was erected on the site of a very old building. It happened at the turn of the XIV-XV centuries. The object was covered with a dome resting on four stone columns. Mausoleum and mosque masonry were tied together. The "old" shrine burned down during a fire in 1918. Today, on the site of the Kei-Kubada sanctuary, there are a pair of columns that once stood in the middle of the object. A fragment of a wall with a roof has also been preserved.

Baths of the palace complex

In the palace ensemble there are also baths of the Shirvanshahs. They are located at the very bottom of the structure. The attraction was discovered in the late 30s of the last century. As a result of excavations, a huge bathhouse was found, consisting of 26 rooms. It was covered with soil, and a garden was located on top. The object was partially cleared in 1953, and in 1961 it was mothballed. The surviving fragments of the walls indicate that the bath rooms were covered with domes. They had holes for light.

The semi-underground placement of the bathhouse allowed keeping cool in summer and warm in winter. ATThe structure of the object included two large square-shaped rooms. Four pylons divided them into smaller rooms. The outer group of the room was intended for undressing, and the inner group for bathing. In the second compartment there were reservoirs for hot and cold water, a large combustion chamber was equipped. They heated the water and the room with the help of yellow stones from white condensed oil. Today, excursions to the citadel of the Shirvanshahs are held daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Ticket prices start from one dollar. Free entry for children.

The most ancient 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 its oldest symbol - the Maiden's Tower. This is a huge, impressive building, which is located on a rock. According to scientists, the attraction was built in a couple of stages: half of the building was erected in the 5th century, and the other half in the 12th. There is no consensus that accurately describes the purpose of the object. He is credited with the role of a lighthouse, and a defensive structure, and an observatory, and a temple of the goddess Anahita, and a Zoroastrian dahna.

Five Kilometer Boulevard

The city of Baku, where sights are found at every step, is a resort. Therefore, it would be surprising if there was not a beautiful place connected with the sea. Primorsky Boulevard is a park that runs alongbays. It has a length of almost five kilometers. It began to be built at the beginning of the last century. The work has not ended to this day.

At first, the boulevard was conceived as a single-tier one. But since in 1977 the level of the Caspian Sea dropped, it was decided to build a lower terrace. Nowadays, a huge number of cafes, attractions and restaurants are open on the boulevard. Several tens of thousands of various plants grow here, among which there are giant cacti and baobabs. There is a puppet theater and a yacht club on the boulevard.