Shamakhi & Lahij Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. On the way from Baku to Gabala we visit Juma Mosque in Shamakhi (or Friday Mosque) is one of the tourist attractions often visited by travellers. Unlike many mosques, entrance to Juma Mosque of Shamakhi is permitted even to non-Muslims. To enter, you need to remove your shoes, but walking barefoot is not a problem, because the floor is covered with thick carpets. In addition, women must cover their heads in order to enter the mosque, so they provide free head cover at the entrance, which is required to be returned at the exit.

   20 min

2. At the foot of Gulistan Fortress is located Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum or “Seven Domes”. This is how people named Shamakhi tomb of Shirvan Dynasty rulers. There the notorious representatives of Shirvan Dynasty were buried. The monument's name is defined be the number of gravestones in the crypt. Today the gravestones look like half-destroyed stone domes as if grown directly from under the ground in the middle of deserted graveyard. Therefore the atmosphere of this district seems a little mysterious.

   30 min

3. Diri Baba mausoleum stands in a square located on a cliff. The building is two-storeyed. The first storey has a hall, which has a passageway to an octahedral cupola from a small vestibule. Stairs leading to the hall of the second store have been carved on the cliff. A spherical cupola with a pointed top has squinches decorated with plant ornaments.Architecture of Diri Baba mausoleum harmonically fits into picturesque surroundings of the building – view against the background of rocks and greenery of trees. The building of the mausoleum is a masterpiece of the architectural school of Shirvan and a beautiful creation of arts of ancient masters. The monument is protected by the government.

   20 min

4. The next stop will be the village of Lahij, the way to which lies through the forests and serpentine roads of the Caucasus Mountains. You will have the opportunity to see the breathtaking natural canyon, and you will also stop at the Zernava suspension bridge. The particular architectural style of Lahija will undoubtedly stun you with its two-storey houses and cobbled streets stretching along the banks of the Girdiman River. Lahij is a real village of craftsmen and artisans who have preserved their traditions and technologies of working on non-ferrous metals (copper, bronze). The magnificent works of Lahij masters on copper dishes were exhibited at the World Exhibition in Vienna in 1873 (Weltausstellung 1873). In Lahij, each quarter has its own unique mosque, which reinforces the impression of guests from the village.

   2 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 12 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Baku

• Its from-price is 37% above the median of the 282 day trips we list in Baku.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 77 of 282.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Baku

Baku is Azerbaijan's capital on the Caspian Sea, where a walled medieval old town sits beside oil-era mansions and glass towers shaped like flames.

The walled Old City, Icherisheher, is a UNESCO-listed maze of lanes with the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, both medieval. Beyond the walls, grand mansions from the oil boom of the late nineteenth century line the streets, and a long boulevard runs beside the Caspian. The three Flame Towers glow on the skyline, and Zaha Hadid's curving Heydar Aliyev Centre is a landmark of modern architecture.

Top-ranked sights in Baku: Bibi-Heybat Mosque (Bibiheybet Mescidi), Yanar Dag, Baku Old City (Icherisheher).

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