While away the hours as you wander through Icheri Sheher, the Old City in Baku, Azerbaijan, and breathe in the centuries old stone, the narrow pathways worn from hundreds of years of foot traffic and the smell of the Caspian Sea as it fills your nostrils.
Old City Baku is one of those otherworldly places, as if forgotten when modernity broke in and built up and around her but it is also a place where you will experience a world that will remain in your heart.
- Baku, Azerbaijanteuchterlad / Foter.com / CC BY
For the romantics and historians, the city is steeped in history with centuries of stories cloistered inside her fortress, including the well-known symbol of the mulberry tree, said to be hundreds of years old, that grew behind the Djame Mosque and became the topic of many songs and was the name sake for the Mulberry Tree Square.
For the adventurer at heart, just imagine: your surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a thriving city, and are one of a few thousand people living in a time where it is necessary to fortify yourself against any enemy invasion. The city is built in such a way that it resembles that of a labyrinth where the enemy, once inside is unable to back away and is set upon by a community force as strong as an organised military army!
- Baku, Azerbaijanwilth / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Or take a moment to consider those who built this place, stone by stone; that designed the city in such a way that it’s defensive capacity would rival any modern day defense structure, and whose ‘double-fortress’ walls are still standing today, hundreds and hundreds of years later. The skill and intellect taken to conclude that this was the best way to build this city, is quite immense and the time you get to spend wandering through her streets will only reinforce this wonder of the ancient world.
- Baku, AzerbaijanGoGap / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Being only 24kms from the Heydar Airport, which is close to both the railway and bus terminals, getting to Old City is a breeze. There is a good selection of hotels in Baku to choose from and eateries abound. The Caspian Sea is right on your doorstep and a good pair of walking shoes is a must to get around the narrow cobble streets and laneways.
Some ‘must see’ attractions in Old City Baku are:
- Shirvanshah’s Palace, the last residence of the rulers of the Shirvan state, a dynasty that lived on for thousands of years
- The Maiden Tower, a famous part of the fortress structure, built between the 13th and 16th Centuries, unique in form and a part of the UNESCO world heritage building listing
- The Cascaus Mountains, which surround the city on the opposite side to the Caspian Sea, nestling the amphitheater-style city between the two natural wonders
- The remains of the Baku Khans Residence, which dates back to the 18th Century. You can still see the entrance, which is curved in an arch and was built between 1747 and 1806AD
- The Djame Mosque, built 17th Century, which played a big role in the social and political lives of the community
- The Haji Bani Hammam (14th Century), built to accommodate the social club of the day and designed to be built into the ground so that the baths remained cool in summer and warm in winter
There are many more unusual and wonderful places to visit in the city so it’s well worth your time to get to know the locals a little and find out where the ‘not-so-well-known’ places are. You will have a scrap book full of pictures and a journal full of memories when you visit Old City Baku so make sure you allow a number of days for your stay to truly make the most of the experience!
