Sheki
Revealing the treasures of Azerbaijan
Day #1:
You will visit two mausoleums, Azerbaijani writer’s house-museum, Shamakhi’s mosque and famous Mysterious palace of Sheki Khans.
Yeddi Gumbaz tombs
in Shamakhi we visit an architectural monument, that was built for Mustafa khan's family in 18th century – the tombs of the last Khan.
Diri Baba Mausoleum
On the way, you will stop in the village of Maraza to look at the ancient mausoleum of Diri Baba. The mausoleum was built in the 14th century.
Heading to Shamakhi, the oldest city standing on the Great Silk Road, that was the Shirvan Khanate’s capital in the 8-16th centuries, also being a residence of famous Shirvanshahs.
An ancient Mosque in Caucasus
The Juma Mosque of Shamakhi – the largest religious building in the city, among others, was built in the 8th century (742) and is considered the first mosque in the Caucasus after the cathedral Derbent’s Juma Mosque (734).
The mosque is a large complex of pare of spire minarets, one central and two side halls, a pointed dome, columns of side sections and an oblong interior.
Due to frequent destructions, mainly caused by earthquakes, it was reconstructed in 1656, 1860, 1909, and lastly in 2009.
Gabala attractions
Gabala Cable Car is a highlight of the city. Divided into three parts, you can have an enjoyable experience with really nice views of the city. Tufandag Rope lines are a great opportunity to see the mysterious nature of the Great Caucasus Mountains. Tufandag invites you to this fascinating journey with 4 ropeways with a length of 5.8 km.
Nohur Lake is a hidden gem of Gabala district, only 3 km away from the city. Unfortunately, it's not allowed to swim in the waters of the Nohur Lake, but you can walk along the shore or ride a catamaran.
The remains of Kabala, ancient capital of Albania
Gabala is one of the ancient cities of Azerbaijan. Gaius Plinius Secundus describes it as Kabalaka, the main city of ancient Albania. Indeed, remains of ancient Gabala are located 15 km away from th city center, in Chukur-Gabala. Archaeological excavations of an ancient settlement proove the urban life in Gabala originates from the 1st century and lasted until the 18th century.
The Christian church in the heart of Azerbaijan
The village of Nij, just 20 kilometers southwest of Gabala, is home to more Udis than anywhere else in the world. The Udins are Christians and direct descendants of one of the main tribes that lived in Caucasian Albania. This cozy church is sheltered under the shade of majestic plane trees (“Chinars”) inside of a large garden, where there is also a special place for baptism and dedication
Day #2:
You will visit Caucasian Albanian temples, house-museum and excavations of ancient civilizations
Ancient Albanian church of Elisha
You will find that before the arrival of Islam in this region, the descendants of the ancient people of Caucasian Albania lived here, who adopted Christianity from the holy apostle St. Elisha.
Caravansary aka the Karavanseray
Two magnificent caravanserai, known as upper and lower (“Yukhari ve Ashagi”), have survived to this day in Sheki. One is a two-story inn with its own inner garden where merchants and foreigners could stop and trade during their stay. The first floor of the inn served as trading point and warehouses, and the second floor was intended for housing; rooms for rent here.
Sheki Khans' palace
There are numerous ancient buildings, the Gilehli minaret of the 18th century, but without a doubt, the most unique is the magnificent summer palace of the Sheki khans, built in the 17th century without a single nail with a luxurious hand-painted wall and stained glass windows.