Sheki

There is a story in every detail and every corner of the Sheki Khan’s Palace, considered the brightest example of medieval Azerbaijani architecture. It was built in 1763 by Huseyn khan, the grandson of Haji Chelebi khan. Thousands of small pieces of glass were used to produce the shebeke window mosaics, fitted together without glue or nails. It was with reason too that the palace was built in the upper part of the city: it was intended as the summer residence of the khan, the moderate heat and clean mountain air in the higher part of the city turning it into a paradise in the hot summers. Not only men but also women could unwind on the palace’s double balconies, which were closed at either end to maintain privacy.

The 300-year-old oak and plane trees growing in the yard add a sense of mystery – to touch them feels like coming into contact with 300-400 years of history. Inside the palace the multi-coloured patches of light beam through the shebeke, playing with the sunshine and pleasing the human eye, the refined drawings on the ceilings and the various patterns on the walls – all this makes you wonder about the richness of the imagination and talent of the old Sheki masters.

Sheki has preserved its ancient city-build structure and it is rich in beautiful architectural monuments. Sheki was the main center of silk production in the Caucasus, and in the 18th-19th centuries, being the capital of Sheki khanate, it developed and turned into the trade, cultural center of Azerbaijan. Old Sheki -as founded in the southern part of the Greater Caucasus, relatively in a flat place and was on the main trade way of Neighboring East. But a strong high-flood in 1772 destroyed the city. After the natural disaster the city was transferred in a safe and relatively high place in Nukha.

This place was mentioned in Ptolemy’s “The Geographical Study”. The mountains from three sides surround Sheki, and on its territory Gurjana and Deyirman rivers unite. Its relief and location on the slope of the mountain influenced the structure of the streets and squares. The winding, streets, the narrow by-streets and blind-alleys gave a complicate, but acceptable and also beautiful form to the building plan of Sheki. An ancient part of Sheki “Yukharibash” was declared an architectural reserve in 1968. There was discovered 13 blocks, which were formed according to the medieval city-building principles. In every block there was a mosque, a bath-house and a local square. The highest point of Sheki is Mahammadkhasan Khan Stronghold was formed in 1743-1754 years.  There are two gates (Ganja and Shirvan), which are surrounded by stronghold walls. The building of Khan’s Palace, a round place for praying and other subsidiary buildings are the models of architectural beauty on its territory.

The building of Sheki Khans’ palace according to its expressive architectural structure, numerous shining walls, which decorate the interior and the riches of graceful wooden works can be considered a rare architectural work. On the Gurjina riverbank, there is a street of mastership and trade center. There are also the biggest caravan sheds (Yukhari and Ashagi Caravan sheds), shops, workshops, Friday Mosque and some patrimonies.

The natural landscape, and unusual beauty, enriches the appearance of

Sheki, and from an expressive background to its architecture. A lot of verdure and the old street, made of cobblestone, intensify connection between the city and nature. The mosques, the bath-houses, one or two-storied dwelling houses, which were built in the 18th-19th centuries in Sheki blocks can be considered as an architectural monuments. The decoration of ancient houses of Sheki with bright colours, the ornament of wooden windows and the beautiful fireplaces confirm the medieval traditions of the natural architecture. The best model of these houses is the house of Sheki Khan (19th century).

Sheki khan’s Palace

The Khan’s Palace in Sheki is a historical and architectural monument of world importance. The palace built in the 18th century is located in the north-eastern part of the city, surrounded by fortress walls. A two-storeyed building with a length of thirty meters covers an area of 300 square meters.  The palace consists of six rooms, four corridors and two mirror balconies. The palace also featuring the folk residential building is considered not only one of the finest examples of the 18th century palace architecture in the Caucasus, but also as an architectural monument of the Muslim East. Together with the city’s historic center, the palace covers an area of 120 hectares.

Apart from the Sheki Khan’s Palace, the architectural monuments of Sheki such as the Shekikhanovs’ House, the minaret of Gilekli Mosque, the Circular Temple of Sheki (17th-19th centuries), Zayzid Temple (11th- 12th centuries), and the Sheki Caravanserai (the Upper Caravanserai and the Lower Caravanserai are one of the 5 large caravanserais that existed in Sheki in the 18th and 19th centuries and have survived to the present day) are protected as well.

In order to explore the specific features of the planning of this ancient city it is important to scrutinize the overall design of the city streets and the Sheki architecture. One of the most important reasons for construction of Sheki in this area is the Gurjanachay factor. The outstanding natural beauty of Sheki is reflected in all historical monuments built in the city. All of these are the characteristics of Sheki architecture. At present, there remain several examples of architecture that are reminiscent of an ancient city.  Traveler and historian Evliya Chelebi’s travelogue provide some information about Sheki. According to him, the Sheki Fortress built of stone was erected on a hill. The fortress had two gates called Shirvan and Ganja. There were thousands of houses and seven mosques in the city. Among them, Mirza Ali Mosque attracts special attention, as it was located in the market street. The city also had several caravanserai-hotels, bath-houses and a small bazaar.

Today Sheki Khan’s Palace has become a must-visit place for tourists visiting our country.

As a result of strenuous efforts of our state Sheki Khan’s Palace was granted “enhanced protection” status and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in Need of Urgent Safeguarding on October 24, 2001.

At the 43rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Baku Convention Center on July 7, 2019, “The historic center of Sheki together with the Khan’s Palace” was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva have congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of inclusion of the historic center of Sheki together with the Khan’s Palace in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Church of Kish 

This temple is the oldest apostle not only in the Republic of Azerbaijan, but in the whole Caucasus In the first century, the teachings of Jesus Christ or the pagan priests of the Apostle Elisha This temple, which he created with his consent, can even be called a temple within a temple Arrival and activity of the Elysee “Kisha” in the pre-existing temple, agreement with local priests This temple has a special status among the Albanian monuments It is valuable both as an architectural monument and as a historical monument. Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan Monuments of world importance by the decision of the Cabinet No. 132 of August 2, 2001 included in the list. The temple has been used as a shrine by locals for centuries caused him to arrive safely until recovery. Restoration work in the temple “Kish” 2000 began in 2003 and was completed in 2003.

Archaeological research in cultural strata He proved that the Kish temple dates back to the Bronze Age and antiquity, including the Middle Ages. The Kish temple has been the center of the spiritual life of Caucasian Albania for centuries. During the restoration, the preservation of the historically formed image of the building as much as possible, a lot pay close attention to the elements gained as a result of the reconstruction and distort the monument The idea was to free it from foreign additions to its architecture in the 19th century. This temple was built in the territory of Northern Azerbaijan (now the Republic of Azerbaijan) in IV-BC To the museum of the historical reserve of Caucasian Albania, a state that existed in the VIII century turned into. Numerous exhibits are displayed in the museum. Some of these exhibits are around the temple from the graves, and some from other districts. According to the customs of ancient times people were buried with their personal belongings at the time of burial. They thought it was the other one could be used in the world. Albanians had different burial customs. Do it in the temple the tombs and tombs around it also prove it. Some on top of each other, some side by side were buried. As a rule, they were all holy clergy. Religion according to the customs of the time .

The figures should always be buried around the temple. A coffin grave found in the Great Dahna village of Sheki in 2011 in the courtyard of the temple is located. Two people are buried in that grave, it is believed that this is the grave of a couple. Stone box Great dignitaries are buried in the graves. It has not been restored yet. The surface and underground of the 2000-year history from the day the temple was founded to the present day introduces the world to the evidence. The temple has the oldest history among Albanian temples for local and foreign visitors attracts attention. Thus, the number of visitors to the temple is growing every year.

Caravanserais

Sheki was famous as a city of craftsmen and merchants. Traders from all of the countries along the Silk Road used to gather in Sheki, so great attention was paid to the construction of caravanserais. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, 5 big caravanserais were active in Sheki to house all of the travelers passing through. Only two of them have survived. The Upper and Lower Caravanserais were built in the 18th century. The craftsmen who built these caravanserais tried their best to make them as comfortable as possible, giving plenty of space so that travelers could rest, store their goods, and trade with local residents. The cellars were used for storing goods, the first floor was for trading, and the second floor was where travelers and merchants would stay.

The caravanserais were rather big: the Upper Caravanserai is 6,000 square meters, and the Lower one is 8,000 square meters. Each one had more than 200 rooms. According to traditional design, each caravanserai had two to four entrances, and when the doors closed, the caravanserais turned into fortresses. The Upper Caravanserai has been converted into a hotel, and the Lower one is currently being remodelled.

Juma Mosque

The Juma Mosque, or Khan’s Mosque, was constructed in 1745-1750, near the market square. Directly in front of the mosque is a small cemetery. Gadzhi Chelebi, the ruler of Shki in the 18th century, is buried here. The tombs here are topped by domes, with scripts in Arabic letters cut into the gravestones. The mosque, its minaret, and the ancient cemetery are protected today as important historical monuments.

Gileili Minaret

Gileili Minaret is a monument dating back to the 16th-17th centuries, when it was part of the Gileili Mosque. Unfortunately, the mosque has not survived to the present day, and so only the minaret, now under state protection, remains. Built of burnt brick, the Gileili Minaret can be seen from the Kyulekhlin neighborhood in Sheki, and is the first and tallest minaret in its district.

Traditional Bath

Sheki has a very well-preserved bath, called a hamam, from the 19th century. It was constructed in the style of other traditional baths: there are two large rooms, one for undressing, and one with a heated floor, for bathing.

Babaratma-Piri

Babaratma-Piri is a small mausoleum located near Sheki. It is located on the territory of an old cemetery near the village of Taza-Kent. This place is esteemed by pilgrims, who believe that it can cure illnesses. Near the mausoleum is a small mosque.

Sumug (Ilisu) Fortress

In the high-mountain village of Ilisu, not far from Sheki, is the Sumug Fortress.

According to legend, this fortress was built by the khan for executing unfaithful concubines, and later became a watchtower for Dani yal-bek, the local leader. Earlier, Dani yal-bek had been an officer in the Imperial Russian army. Later in his life, he became a revolutionary leader, and joined his sworn enemy Sheikh Shamil to fight against Russian forces. However, in August 1859, the last of Dani yal-bek’s fortifications had to be surrendered.

Sheki fortress

Stone construction Sheki fortress was built on a hill. The fortress has two gates named Shirvan and Ganja. Sheki fortress is located in the higher part of the city, in the north-east and covers Sheki khan’s palace. The fortress is located not only militarily and strategically, but also in a very favorable microclimate. The fortress was built during the reign of Haji Chalabi khan (1743-1755), the first Sheki khan. The total length of the walls of the fortress is 1300 m, taking into account the relief of the territory and the importance of defense, the height of the fortress from the south is 8 meters, while it goes down to 4 meters to the north.

The thickness of the castle walls is 2.2 m. The castle has two gates on the south and north sides and towers for protection, and more than 1,000 gates. Currently, despite the restoration work carried out in 1958-1963, the castle walls and towers are in a state of disrepair. According to the plan mentioned on February 26, 1853, it was planned to restore about 40 historical monuments in the fortress. It is natural that during the restoration of Sheki, which lasted about 50 years since it became part of Russia, enough changes were made to the previous plan of the fortress, but in general, the fortress was able to maintain its original appearance. The “Khan’s Palace”, the residence of the Sheki khanate, is also located in the north-east of the fortress.

Shopping in Sheki

The expansive Taza Bazaar sells pottery, metalwork and carpets, as well as masses of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and cheese. Saffron is a bargain at just 50q a pouch. Get there by southbound minibus 11, 8 or 5. Sheki still has a working silk factory(kombinat) 50m west of upper Rasulzade kuc. It doesn’t allow tourist visits but opposite the entrance its store, Ipek Magazin (9am-6pm), sells attractively simple silk scarves from AZN10.