Shamakhi & Lahij Tour

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.

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.

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.

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.