Museums and Galleries

Baku’s medieval core is a UNESCO-protected site surrounded by 12th-century walls, brimming with history and Eastern architecture. Here you’ll find the Maiden Tower, Baku’s most mysterious site – no one knows for certain what it was originally built for! Meanwhile, occupying the highest spot in the citadel, the Shirvanshahs’ Palace was the 15th-century residence of Azerbaijan’s medieval rulers. Beyond its main attractions, the ‘Inner City,’ as it’s called by the locals, is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways home to some of Baku’s oldest residents, as well as artists’ workshops, souvenir stalls and traditional restaurants serving classic Azerbaijani dishes.

Baku’s extraordinary landscape, rich in oil and subterranean gases, has intrigued travellers since time immemorial and for centuries the Ateshgah Fire Temple in the village of Surakhani has been attracting crowds of thrill seekers. Built in the 17th–18th centuries around naturally burning flames which were previously worshipped by Zoroastrians, the site was then an important place of pilgrimage for fire-worshipping Hindus until the 1880s. Today it houses a well-designed museum and is often coupled with a trip to nearby Yanardag, the Burning Mountain in Mammadli village where a 10-metre wall of flames blazes day and night at the base of a hillside. These natural flames were described by Marco Polo in the 13th century and continue to mesmerise those who visit the site. Today you can learn all about them at the beautifully arranged new museum complex.

From prehistoric rock art to musical stones, the Azerbaijani people’s age-old past is dramatically brought to life in the UNESCO-listed Gobustan Reserve, where an astonishing collection of over 6,000 ancient petroglyphs chart ways of life dating back as far as 40,000 years. The reserve is located among the Boyukdash, Kichikdash and Jingirdagh mountains, about 60 kilometres south of Baku, and is also home to the remains of once inhabited caves, settlements and burial grounds, all reflecting intensive human use from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages. What’s more, just a short drive away you’ll find some of Azerbaijan’s astonishing number of mud volcanoes, one of the world’s most intriguing natural wonders.

History enthusiasts shouldn’t miss calling into the village of Chukhur Gabala, 15 kilometres south-west of Gabala, to discover the ruins of the ancient city of Gabala – a major trade and social hub along the Silk Road between about 4BC and 18AD and once the capital of the ancient state of Caucasian Albania. The site has been researched by archaeologists since 1929, revealing many historical treasures including a medieval water supply system, coins and ceramics, burial sites and the remnants of buildings harking back to diverse historical eras. The highlight, though, are two round brick towers and parts of a fortress wall that once formed the city’s southern entrance. After exploring the 25-hectare site’s excavation areas by car and on foot, browse the nearby contemporary museum which tells you all you need to know about the area’s history.

Just five kilometres from Sheki, travel to the picturesque village of Kish to explore Albanian temple, one of our greatest monuments of Caucasian Albania – an ancient state that existed here from about 3BC to 8AD. The core of this beautiful church is thought to date to 1AD, yet archaeologists have discovered evidence that a cultic site existed here as early as 3,000BC! The church now functions primarily as a museum to Caucasian Albania and features a host of Bronze Age ceramics discovered during excavations carried out in the early 2000s by a joint Azerbaijani-Norwegian team, as well as glass-covered vaults displaying ancient graves with two-metre long skeletons.

Ten kilometres south of Ganja, the story of Azerbaijan’s German colonists began in 1819 with the founding of a village called Helenendorf (now Goygol). Besides becoming a hub of German culture in the Caucasus, Helenendorf was also famous for its burgeoning wine industry that sold wine and spirits throughout the Russian Empire. The Germans may have gone – they were deported by Stalin in 1941 – but the Goygol Winery still functions and their presence continues to be felt in the town’s old German streets lined by towering plane trees. Over 300 distinctly German houses remain, one of which is the Victor Klein House, the former residence of Goygol’s last German and now a museum. Nearby is Azerbaijan’s first Lutheran church which was built in 1854 and today also houses a small museum collection. All the main sights can be discovered with the help of interactive info boards.

Shamkir has a rich history long predating the German period. To discover it, step inside the local History and Ethnography Museum located at the back of the Lutheran church that charts the city’s development, beginning with the Persian Achaemenid Empire (550BC). Better still, head 10 kilometres east of the city to investigate the ruins of medieval Shamkir, located north of the village of Muktariyat on the left bank of the Shamkirchay river. Here, a fortress and citadel thrived on the Silk Road between the 8th and 13th centuries, when it was sacked by the Mongols and never fully recovered. Excavations beginning in 2006 have made it possible to see significant chunks of a fortress called Naringala, plus the remnants of streets and buildings considered rare examples of the Arran architectural school.

Housed in the former residence of the last direct descendant of the Talysh khans, Mir Ahmad, the regional history museum collection documents his eventful life through sepia photos and former belongings, as well as exhibiting plenty of local art alongside items and implements dating back as far as the Bronze Age. Built in 1913 in a style mixing modern and national elements, the house is the main attraction and used to be the tallest building in the city, occupying a prime position with views of the Caspian and the Talysh Mountains.

Within walking distance from here, the House Museum of World War II Hezi Aslanov lies in a quiet residential street and recounts the life and mysterious death of the only Azerbaijani to twice be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Lankaran was once surrounded by impressive fortress walls which were demolished after the Russians seized the city in 1813. However, keep an eye out for the two remaining towers, one of which now functions as a lighthouse and the other, currently inoperative, was previously a prison whose most famous inmate was a young Josef Stalin.

This region is also scattered with unique architectural monuments. Nakhchivan city is home to some of the best: the 12th-century Mausoleum of Momine Khatun is a shining example of the so-called ‘Nakhchivan school’ – a medieval form of architecture characterised by its red bricks, turquoise tiles and geometric patterns. It was built by acclaimed architect of the period Ajemi Nakhchivani to honour the beloved wife of powerful local ruler Shamsaddin Eldeniz. On one of the tomb’s 10 sides is written: “We depart but the world stays, we die but leave monuments behind.”

The Carpet Museum, situated on the Seaside Boulevard, is another of Baku’s modern architectural wonders – it's shaped like a rolled-up rug! And inside it’s home to the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world (over 6,000!). There’s simply no better place to begin your journey into the world of Azerbaijani carpet weaving. Strolling around the exquisitely curated exhibits, you’ll discover how our carpets are made through live demonstrations, how they have evolved throughout the centuries and you’ll also be able to compare and contrast hundreds of stunning examples from across our seven regional carpet weaving schools.

From prehistoric rock art to musical stones, the Azerbaijani people’s age-old past is dramatically brought to life in the UNESCO-listed Gobustan Reserve, where an astonishing collection of over 6,000 ancient petroglyphs chart ways of life dating back as far as 40,000 years. The reserve is located among the Boyukdash, Kichikdash and Jingirdagh mountains, about 60 kilometres south of Baku, and is also home to the remains of once inhabited caves, settlements and burial grounds, all reflecting intensive human use from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages. What’s more, just a short drive away you’ll find some of Azerbaijan’s astonishing number of mud volcanoes, one of the world’s most intriguing natural wonders.

Located opposite Guba city on the northern banks of the Gudiyalchay river, Red Settlement (also known as Girmizi Gasaba or Krasnaya Sloboda) is a truly unique place to visit. Characterised by its red-tiled roofs, this village is thought to have once been the only entirely Jewish settlement outside of Israel and the United States and the world’s last surviving shtetl. Its residents are Mountain Jews whose ancestors have been living in the Guba region for centuries. Founded in the mid-18th century, the village thrived under the protection of the ruling Guba khan, becoming a diverse yet closed community of Mountain Jews. And in the centuries since it has survived plenty of upheavals, maintaining its own culture and traditions, as well as the unique Juhuri language. A landmark new museum opened here in 2019.

Just five kilometres from Sheki, travel to the picturesque village of Kish to explore Albanian temple, one of our greatest monuments of Caucasian Albania – an ancient state that existed here from about 3BC to 8AD. The core of this beautiful church is thought to date to 1AD, yet archaeologists have discovered evidence that a cultic site existed here as early as 3,000BC! The church now functions primarily as a museum to Caucasian Albania and features a host of Bronze Age ceramics discovered during excavations carried out in the early 2000s by a joint Azerbaijani-Norwegian team, as well as glass-covered vaults displaying ancient graves with two-metre long skeletons.

Ten kilometres south of Ganja, the story of Azerbaijan’s German colonists began in 1819 with the founding of a village called Helenendorf (now Goygol). Besides becoming a hub of German culture in the Caucasus, Helenendorf was also famous for its burgeoning wine industry that sold wine and spirits throughout the Russian Empire. The Germans may have gone – they were deported by Stalin in 1941 – but the Goygol Winery still functions and their presence continues to be felt in the town’s old German streets lined by towering plane trees. Over 300 distinctly German houses remain, one of which is the Victor Klein House, the former residence of Goygol’s last German and now a museum. Nearby is Azerbaijan’s first Lutheran church which was built in 1854 and today also houses a small museum collection. All the main sights can be discovered with the help of interactive info boards.

While in Nakhchivan City, history lovers shouldn’t miss visiting the Nakhchivan Khans’ Palace, whose exquisite Oriental style blends almost seamlessly into the region’s orange-hued terrain. Between the mid-18th century and early 20th century, the building was the residence of the rulers of the Nakhchivan Khanate, one of many small independent statelets to appear in the Caucasus and Iran following the death of Nadir Shah in 1747. Formerly a carpet museum, since 2010 the palace’s richly ornamented three floors complete with shebeke stained glass windows have housed a museum devoted to this fascinating period in Azerbaijani history.

Baku’s medieval core is a UNESCO-protected site surrounded by 12th-century walls, brimming with history and Eastern architecture. Here you’ll find the Maiden Tower, Baku’s most mysterious site – no one knows for certain what it was originally built for! Meanwhile, occupying the highest spot in the citadel, the Shirvanshahs’ Palace was the 15th-century residence of Azerbaijan’s medieval rulers. Beyond its main attractions, the ‘Inner City,’ as it’s called by the locals, is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways home to some of Baku’s oldest residents, as well as artists’ workshops, souvenir stalls and traditional restaurants serving classic Azerbaijani dishes.

The Carpet Museum, situated on the Seaside Boulevard, is another of Baku’s modern architectural wonders – it's shaped like a rolled-up rug! And inside it’s home to the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world (over 6,000!). There’s simply no better place to begin your journey into the world of Azerbaijani carpet weaving. Strolling around the exquisitely curated exhibits, you’ll discover how our carpets are made through live demonstrations, how they have evolved throughout the centuries and you’ll also be able to compare and contrast hundreds of stunning examples from across our seven regional carpet weaving schools.

Take a break from an itinerary packed with sightseeing and spend a morning or afternoon simply wandering the cobbled streets of Sheki’s historic old town, an area that was recently added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Soak up the bucolic atmosphere, admire the intricate brickwork and hunt for some historical relics. This upper part of the city is made up of 19th-century merchant housing with distinctive gabled roofs, mosques and hammams, reflecting Sheki’s long history as a former hub of the silk trade. You can visit house museums to local literary heroes Mirza Fatali Akhundzade and Bakhtiyar Vahabzade and call into the Sheki Khans’ House. For a Quintessential Silk Road experience in Sheki, stop for tea and sweets or better still spend a night at Karvansaray, an authentic 18th-century caravanserai-turned-hotel.

While in Nakhchivan City, history lovers shouldn’t miss visiting the Nakhchivan Khans’ Palace, whose exquisite Oriental style blends almost seamlessly into the region’s orange-hued terrain. Between the mid-18th century and early 20th century, the building was the residence of the rulers of the Nakhchivan Khanate, one of many small independent statelets to appear in the Caucasus and Iran following the death of Nadir Shah in 1747. Formerly a carpet museum, since 2010 the palace’s richly ornamented three floors complete with shebeke stained glass windows have housed a museum devoted to this fascinating period in Azerbaijani history.

As well as being the home of Azerbaijani classical fine arts, the National Museum of Art also houses masterpieces from Turkey, Iran, Japan, China, Russia and Western Europe. And the museum’s dual buildings themselves are historic monuments dating back to the 19th century. Named after Rustam Mustafayev, an early 20th-century pioneer of theatre decoration, the museum collection chronicles items dating from the 4th millennium BC to the present day. Over 17,000 artworks can be savoured from painted ceramics, copper and bronze engraved wares to ancient carpets, and jewellery. There’s also works of Azerbaijani miniature painters of the 15th – 16th centuries, as well as paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists.

Designed by the illustrious architect Zaha Hadid, since opening in 2012 the Heydar Aliyev Centre’s astonishing curved, wave-like shape and innovative use of space have made it an iconic landmark in Baku and beyond. But besides its extraordinary appearance, inside you'll find a world-class exhibition and museum complex with a great range of permanent and temporary curations exploring the best of local and global art and culture, as well as a stylish cafeteria, state-of-the-art auditorium and even an impressive collection of vintage cars.

Baku’s medieval core is a UNESCO-protected site surrounded by 12th-century walls, brimming with history and Eastern architecture. Here you’ll find the Maiden Tower, Baku’s most mysterious site – no one knows for certain what it was originally built for! Meanwhile, occupying the highest spot in the citadel, the Shirvanshahs’ Palace was the 15th-century residence of Azerbaijan’s medieval rulers. Beyond its main attractions, the ‘Inner City,’ as it’s called by the locals, is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways home to some of Baku’s oldest residents, as well as artists’ workshops, souvenir stalls and traditional restaurants serving classic Azerbaijani dishes.

The Carpet Museum, situated on the Seaside Boulevard, is another of Baku’s modern architectural wonders – it's shaped like a rolled-up rug! And inside it’s home to the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world (over 6,000!). There’s simply no better place to begin your journey into the world of Azerbaijani carpet weaving. Strolling around the exquisitely curated exhibits, you’ll discover how our carpets are made through live demonstrations, how they have evolved throughout the centuries and you’ll also be able to compare and contrast hundreds of stunning examples from across our seven regional carpet weaving schools.

Located 22 kilometres north of Shamakhi’s city centre along a scenic road leading into the Caucasus Mountains, the settlement of Pirqulu is home to the largest astrophysical observatory in the Caucasus. Named after 13th-century astronomer Nasreddin Tusi, the observatory was established in the Soviet era when it was used to great effect to study the stars and secrets of the universe. While it continues to be at the forefront of Azerbaijani astrophysics today, there are also facilities for visitors: you can browse a small museum, admire the largest telescope in the region and even do some stargazing if visiting after dark.

Perched high in the Talysh Mountains, the quiet town of Lerik is surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape of mountains, rivers and waterfalls. This, of course, has a lot to do with how Lerik became known as the Land of Centenarians – the water, air and plants here are so lush and pure that they are thought to have a medicinal quality. In fact, so many of Lerik’s local residents have passed the 100-year threshold that the town has its own museum dedicated to its centenarians. One man featured here is Shirali Muslimov, a resident of the nearby village of Barzavu, who lived for an astonishing 168 years! If you’re keen to learn the secrets to a long and healthy life, then don’t miss paying a visit to Lerik.