Shemakha- İsmailli (Ivanovka)

Description

Duration: 11 hours

9:00 Departure from Baku

10:30 Shemakha Tour

                                    Shemakha

Shemakha (or Shamakhi) is located in the southern part of the Greater Caucasus, 122 kilometers from Baku and lies at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level. Founded in V-IV centuries BC and was one of the cities of Caucasian Albania and also the capital of the State of Shirvanshahs in the X century. The city abounds in mountain forests and meadows  and therefore most of the area is a resort area with many springs of mountain water. It should be noted that Shemakha since ancient times was famous as one of the centers of carpet weaving and trade in Azerbaijan.

 

Diri-Baba Mausoleum (1402)

Diri Baba - this unique monument, a masterpiece of the Shirvan architectural school, is located in the village of Maraza. For a long time, local residents believed that the saint named Diri-Baba was buried in this place and remained incorruptible. However, many legends and mystical details are associated with this monument. The peculiarity of the building is that the architect built in  the tomb in the rock and it seems that it is holding herself  on weight , cut off from the ground.

Seven Domes (Yeddi Gumbez) ​​(XV century)

Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleum or Seven Domes, its appearance dates back to the 15th century. So popularly called the tomb of the Shirvan rulers in Shamakhi. Seven Domes just as many tombstones are in the crypt.

 

Juma Mosque (743)

Juma Mosque is the oldest Friday Mosque in the Caucasus and throughout the Middle East after the Derbent Juma Mosque. Built in 743 by Abu Muslim, as evidenced by the inscription on the wall of the mosque, discovered in 1902. This mosque to this day is a place of pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims

 

13:00- 14:00 Lunch break (in Shemakha or in the village of Baskal)

 “Nush Olsun!” - “Bon appetit!”, They will tell you in every corner of Azerbaijan, cordially inviting you to an abundant feast. The most sophisticated gourmets who come to the republic will like the refinement and delicate aroma of Azerbaijani dishes. The history of the art of culinary recipes in Azerbaijan goes back centuries and is based on the vast experience of hereditary chefs that is preserved today. In terms of the composition and multiplicity of dishes, Azerbaijani cuisine is among the extremely diverse and healthy and is distinguished by an abundance of all sorts of meat, fish and vegetable delicacies, complemented by tender greens and savory spices. The dishes in tandoor are widely spread in the Azerbaijani cuisine. Trere are a large assortment of various sweets and drinks. Exclusive Azerbaijani dishes - dolma, bozbash, bozartma, chyhyrtma, khashil, kebab, piti, pilaf, govurma - are included in the national menu of many peoples of the Caucasus.

Ismailli

At the foot of the picturesque southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, the small but beautiful city of Ismailli, founded in November 1931, is comfortably situated. The status of the city of the former village of Ismailly received in 1967, after which Ismayilly became part of the 11 cities of republican subordination. At the same time only 5 parts of the entire population of the district live in the city itself, in which there are 2 more urban-type settlements and 106 villages. The rich history of this land dates back to deep antiquity until the Stone Age. The ancient historical events of Azerbaijan certainly covered the territory of the Ismayilli region. It is known that around the end of II or the middle of the I century BC, this region of Azerbaijan belonged to the ancient state of Caucasian Albania. The economy of Ismayilli region is mainly based on viticulture, winemaking, agriculture and animal husbandry, the main industry of which is sheep and cattle breeding. Of course, the diversity and contrast of the rich nature of the Ismayilli region is its main attraction which tourists from different parts of the world want to see.

Ivanovka

Ivanovka is a famous village in the Ismayilli region, 200 km from Baku, founded in the 1830-40s, as a result of the resettlement of Molokan peasants from central Russia to the South Caucasus. They constitute the Molokan community, which in the 19th century Catherine the Great expelled from the Russian Empire. Since then, the Ismayilli region has become their homeland, where they live in peace and harmony with their neighbours. Ivanovka is considered to be the original settlement of the Molokans, where the only collective farm in Azerbaijan remained. Today, 1,600 Russians live here, as well as Azerbaijanis and Lezgins, a total of three thousand people.

House-Museum of Sergei Rachmaninov

In the village of Ivanovka in the period from 1890 to 1917, Sergey Rachmaninov spent almost every spring, summer and often autumn. In August 1978, the House Museum of Rakhmaninov was created in Ivanovka, as a branch of the Tambov Regional Museum. On June 18, 1982 the house-museum was solemnly opened. On the same day, a sculptural portrait of Sergei Rachmaninov was opened in Ivanovka. In 1987 the house-museum was transformed into the Rachmaninov Museum-Estate. Since 1982 Ivanovka annually hosts the International Music Festival S.V. Rachmaninov.

 

18:00 Departure from Ismailli to Baku

20:00 Arrival in Baku (End of tour)

Group tours schedule