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Sights of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a bright colorful country where European and Asian cultures are closely intertwined. It is a modern and prosperous state, carefully preserving its values ​​and history. Across the country there are hundreds of historical sites: fortresses and palaces, ancient cities and mosques, preserved from the times of the mighty Persia.
1. Flame Towers
This is a modern architectural complex, a symbol of a new and prosperous Azerbaijan. The buildings are huge glass skyscrapers in the form of flame tongues aspiring to the sky. In the evening, the facade lights turn on, imitating a blazing fire. Flaming towers are visible from almost anywhere in Baku, guests of the capital are delighted with the contemplation of the game of colors on the glass surface of the towers.
2. Gobustan Reserve
The territory protected by UNESCO and included in the World Heritage List. Here are the famous mud volcanoes, beating out of the ground, interspersed with oil and water. As well as cave paintings, preserved from a prehistoric era, demonstrating the beliefs and daily lives of primitive people. At the foot of Mount Beykdash preserved inscriptions of Roman legionnaires who visited here in the I century.
3. Maiden’s Tower in Baku
Mysterious building on the territory of the ancient Baku fortress Icheri Sheher. The tower is considered a symbol of the city and a unique object, as it represents a model of Azerbaijani architecture, which has no analogues in the region. There is a version that initially on its territory was located the ancient Zoroastrian temple, where they worshiped the sun and fire.
4. The old town of Icheri Sheher
The oldest residential quarter of Baku, which is surrounded by well-preserved fortress walls. People have lived on this territory since the times of the Bronze Age. Even now, people live in houses, many of which are hundreds and thousands of years old. In the middle of the stone streets of Icheri Sheher, time seemed to have stopped its course – here you can fully feel the atmosphere and flavor of the country.
5. Palace of the Shirvanshahs
It is a palace ensemble of the XV century, where the rulers of Shirvan lived. Apsheron limestone was used in the construction of most of the buildings, which eventually acquired a beautiful golden-nut color. On the territory of the complex is the royal tomb, the palace mosque, the courtyard of Divan-Khane, the mausoleum of the scientist Seyid Yahya Bakuvi.
6. Palace of Sheki Khans
Beautiful two-story building with a rich interior and exterior decoration. In the XVIII century, it was built as the residence of Hussein Khan Mushtad. On the facade of the palace beautifully executed scenes of hunting and war are framed in the frame of intricate floral and geometric ornaments. Stained-glass windows consisting of several thousand pieces of glass are decorated with openwork lattices made of stone.
7. Caravanserai in Sheki
Inn, located on one of the stretches of the Great Silk Road. The place of a stop and rest of merchants, slave owners, messengers, travelers, who for centuries lingered here to gain strength for further travel. Now part of the caravanserai is given for a hotel, and in another part there is a museum. The walls of the building were erected of solid and thick stone, the large arched gates that served as the entrance closed tight in case of danger and provided shelter to people inside.
8. Monastery Gandzasar
Armenian Christian monastery in Nagorno-Karabakh. Received its name from Mount Gandzasar. On the territory of the monastery, tourists celebrate a special atmosphere, as if isolation from the surrounding reality. This is a quiet place with ancient architecture, mysterious letters and strange drawings on the walls. Here are the tombs of the rulers of the Khachen principality and bishops.
9. Bibi-Eybat Mosque
Significant monument of Islamic architecture on the shore of the Baku Bay. The mosque was built in the XIII century. Flourishing and developing, it existed VII centuries, and in 1936 it was blown up by the order of Soviet functionaries who came to power. In 1994, Heydar Aliyev issued a decree on the restoration of the mosque in the same place. The new building was built until 2008, as they tried to repeat the forms and outlines of the old mosque, to recreate the interior from photographs.
10. Tezepir Mosque
Baku mosque, built at the beginning of XX century. She escaped the fate of being destroyed during the Soviet regime, long functioned as a warehouse and barn, but after 1943 she again became a mosque. Gold was used in the decoration of the building, internal patterns and inscriptions were made in the style of the Azerbaijani school of painting. The domes of the temple are made of marble.
11. Indian temple of the fire worshipers Ateshgah
Rather exotic sight for Azerbaijan. The temple was built in the XVIII century by the forces of the Hindu community, whose representatives called themselves Sikhs. The building was built on the site of an ancient Zoroastrian sanctuary, where, before the adoption of Islam, they worshiped fire and performed mystical rituals. The last representatives of Zoroastrianism went to India, but their descendants returned after centuries and erected a new sanctuary – the Temple of Fire-worshipers.