Baku – Historic Sites, Museums and the Caspian Sea

• Icherisheher has been a museum-reserve since 1977.
• The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is a 15th-century palace complex.
• The Carpet Museum houses more than 6,000 Azerbaijani carpets.
• Baku Boulevard is a waterfront promenade founded in 1909 and a national park on the Caspian Sea.
• Gobustan State Reserve contains more than 6,000 ancient petroglyphs; Gobustan Reserve is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Icherisheher forms the historic center of Baku and has been a museum-reserve since 1977. The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is a 15th-century palace complex built during the reign of Shirvanshah Khalilullah I. If you are interested in the city’s history, you can take these historical connections into account when choosing what to visit. The Maiden Tower has served as a museum since 1964.

Other museums focus on their own themes. The Museum of Miniature Books preserves around 8,000 tiny printed publications from 76 different countries. Azerbaijani carpets are the focus of the Carpet Museum, whose collection comprises more than 6,000 pieces. Live demonstrations of Azerbaijani carpet-making are also offered there. This lets you choose between a visit focused on an extensive collection and one that also includes demonstrations of how carpets are made.

The Heydar Aliyev Centre is another of Baku’s diverse cultural stops; it was designed by Zaha Hadid. For a historical focus beyond the museums mentioned, Ateshgah offers a different perspective: the Ateshgah Temple is located in Baku’s Surakhany district. It was built in the 17th and 18th centuries on the site of a sacred Zoroastrian temple and is an open-air museum.

At the open-air complex of the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum in Qala Reserve, visitors can take part in traditional crafts. These include carpet weaving, pottery, and blacksmithing. Visitors can also bake lavash bread there themselves. These activities combine hands-on crafts with an insight into traditional production methods. You can decide whether you would rather view collections or take part in an activity during your stay.

The International Mugham Center is another cultural venue for concerts, festivals, and Mugham evenings, which are held there regularly. If music is to be an important part of your trip, you can factor this focus into your plans alongside visits to historic sites and museums.

Baku Boulevard is a waterfront promenade founded in 1909 and a national park on the Caspian Sea. You can explore the boulevard on rented bicycles or electric scooters. Short boat trips on the Caspian Sea are also available from Seaside Boulevard. This gives you different ways to explore the waterfront: riding along the boulevard on a bicycle or scooter, or taking a short boat trip on the sea.

Gobustan State Reserve lies between the mountains of Boyukdash, Kichikdash, and Jingirdagh. It contains more than 6,000 ancient petroglyphs; Gobustan Reserve is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. If you are interested in rock art and its historical significance, this offers a different focus from the city’s museums. Central Botanical Garden has special playgrounds for families with children. Tourist Information Points in Baku help visitors plan routes and sightseeing.

More pages to help you plan: Mərdəkan, Hovsan, Khirdalan, Lokbatan, Qobu, Baku, Nardaran.

What can you see in Icherisheher?

Icherisheher is the historic center of Baku and has been a museum-reserve since 1977. The Palace of the Shirvanshahs, a 15th-century palace complex, is also located there.

What does the Carpet Museum exhibit?

The museum houses more than 6,000 Azerbaijani carpets. Live demonstrations of carpet-making are also offered.

What activities does Baku Boulevard offer?

You can explore it on rented bicycles or electric scooters. Short boat trips on the Caspian Sea are available from Seaside Boulevard.

What can visitors do at Qala Reserve?

At the open-air complex of the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, visitors can try traditional crafts such as carpet weaving, pottery, and blacksmithing, as well as bake lavash bread themselves.

Where is the Ateshgah Temple located?

The Ateshgah Temple is located in Baku’s Surakhany district. It was built in the 17th and 18th centuries on the site of a sacred Zoroastrian temple and is an open-air museum.

What can you see at Gobustan State Reserve?

The reserve contains more than 6,000 ancient petroglyphs and lies between the mountains of Boyukdash, Kichikdash, and Jingirdagh. Gobustan Reserve is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

To the main travel overview: Azerbaijan.

Information to help you plan your trip:

Azerbaijan: Baku, the Caucasus, and travel planning.