Marvelous Old City and the Pearls of Absheron
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Sightseeing, Art & Culture
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Old City, Absheron
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8 hours
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Discover top attractions of the Old City of Baku. Old town or locally called “Ichari Shahar”, being one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is a unique historical part of Azerbaijan and is located in the centre of Baku. Get acquainted with the main and unique monuments of Baku, namely with the Maiden Tower, the Palace of Shirvanshahs, the courtyard known as “Divankhana”, mosques and minarets, caravanserais and bathes. Old Baku has lots of treasures that you will never forget for years. Get insight about the rich history of oriental side of Baku.
Ateshgah - The Fire Worshippers Temple, is considered one of the most fascinating places for tourists. Often called “The temple of Eternal Fire”, it is well-known practically all over the world. It is located 30 km from the center of Baku in the suburb of Surakhany. The temple in its present state was constructed in the 17th-18th centuries. It was built by the Baku-based Hindu community related to Sikhs.
After the introduction of Islam Zoroastrian temple was destroyed. Many Zoroastrians left to India and there continued their worship. But in the 15th -17th centuries the Hindus-fire worshippers who came to Absheron with trading caravans began to make pilgrimages to Surakhany. The Indian merchants started erection of the temple. The earliest temple part is dated 1713.
One of the main destinations as part of the tour program to Absheron is Yanardag (Burning Mountain) - the most famous and popular tourist places of the "eternal flame” in Azerbaijan. Actually, it is rather a hill than a mountain, with natural gas burning on its slope from ancient times. Meter-long tongues of fire are licking the stratified earth approximately for 10 m in width, searing those who approached too close. People occupy the benches to watch the blazing hill in the evening, when the its sight is most effective. Yanardag is declared a state-protected conservation area from the 2007.
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10:00 - Start of the Excursion - Drive to the Historical and medieval part of the city "Ichari Shahar"(Old City) - Fortress walls and defensive towers (XV-XVI centuries) - Mosques "Juma" (XIX century) and "Sons of Gala" (XI century) - Tower temple "Giz Galasi" or "Maiden Tower" (VII-XII centuries) - The medieval Bath and Market Square (XV-XVI centuries) - Karvansaray complex (XIV-XVI centuries) - Carpet, souvenir and antique shops and craft shops - Complex "Shirvanshahs Palace" (XII-XV century)
13:00 - Lunch at one of the local restaurants: Our guide will gladly recommend you typical ethnic cuisine at reasonable prices
14:00 - Visit to Ateshgah Fireworshippers Temple
16:30 - Yanardag (Burning Mountain)
18:00 - Departure to the hotel
