Local Attractions
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Maiden Tower (Giz Galasi)
Because of its vague design and the stories that surround it, the Maiden Tower is a dominant architectural landmark. Legend claims that it was built in the 12th century on the shore of the Caspian Sea when it was allegedly used as a watch tower. The construction and architecture, however, suggest 2,500 years earlier.
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Icheri Sheher
Icheri Sheher, or the Old Inner City, is the oldest part of Baku and is surrounded by fortification walls dating back to the 9th century. The streets inside the historical core of the city have been designed to block strong winds coming from the Caspian Sea.
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The Palace of the Shirvanshahs
The Palace of the Shirvanshahs, located in Baku, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 15th century by the Shirvanshahs dynasty. This monument is the biggest piece of architecture in Shirvan–Absheron style and includes the main building, Diwan Khana, The Mausoleum, The Palace Mosque and The Palace Bath-house. The construction of the palace was initiated under the rule of Ibrahim I of the Shirvanshahs dynasty.
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Atashgah Fire Temple
The Atashgah Fire Temple, or the Fire Temple of Baku, is situated in Surakhani, near Baku. This castle-style temple was nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1998 and declared a historical-architectural reserve by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2007. The inscriptions in Sanskrit or Punjabi state that the place was a Hindu site of worship, unlike claims indicating it was a Zoroastrian Fire Temple. Today, it houses a museum and is no longer used as a temple.
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Yanar Dag
Yanar Dag, translated as the "burning mountain", is a hillside near Baku that continuously vents flames of fire all-year-round: a process that has been going on for 1,000 years. Natural gas vents on the sides of the mountain make sure that the flames are not subdued despite the rain.
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Oil Rocks
Azerbaijan made advancement in its economy because of its oil reserves. The oil rocks complex near Baku has become an attraction for many people, but permission from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan is needed to view the complex.
