Shemakha- Gabala- Shaki

Description

9:00 Departure from Baku

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.

 

Juma Mosque (743 y.)

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 at Lake Nohur)

 “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.

15:30 Arrival in Gabala

Gabala is a popular tourist center due to the numerous preserved historical monuments, warm mild climate and stunning beauty of the Caucasus Mountains. The main attractions of the city are the Albanian church “Jotari” (IV – VIII cc.), the village of Nij, where a unique architectural monument is located - the Udin Temple, the archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Gabala (Gyadim Gabala). The Udins are considered descendants of the ancient Albanians and are a very special ethnic group (there are only 10,000 people left). They managed to preserve their language and cultural traditions until today. More recently, the temple was restored and is now open to tourists.

Lake Nohur

Lake Nohur is located at the entrance to the city of Gabala, in a natural groove among the mountains Gulliburun, Goydag and Yumuru. Lake Nohur, which existed as a natural lake until 1949 covered with dense reeds and aquatic plants, was a lake with yellowish-green water, with a deep hollow in the central part. In 1949 a reservoir was built in the southern part of this lake. The water of the rivers Demiraparan and Vandam is spilled into the Nohurgyshlag reservoir. This lake within the settlement near the Gabala-Ismailly-Baku highway is one of the most visited. The Nohurgyshlag reservoir makes a great contribution to the development of aquaculture and rowing.

 

Waterfall “Seven Beauties” (Yeddi Gözəl)

Another name for the waterfall is Yeddi Gözəl. It consists of 7 powerful cascades (it is an amazing water object in the mountains, which is able to shake everyone's imagination with its own beauty). And not far from it you can find teahouses where visitors will be offered a snack.

 

Ancient Gabala (I century)

Ancient cities in any country are admired by many tourists and Gabala is one of them, as a result of which it has become a real attraction. Today, it continues to dig. The town has 50 hectares of land, on which houses were located, reported dishes and numerous souvenirs. The excavated layer is already quite large and its thickness is 5 meters, in addition to everything found during the excavations such items as hot spots, pits, tandirs, as well as underground water supply and ceramics were detected in large quantities. The city was destroyed in the 16th century.

Nij (IV-V century BC)

Nij is a large settlement in the Gabala region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with an area of ​​about 100 km². It is a place of compact residence for Udin tribes. Nij is surrounded by cultivated land and is also built up with houses with large household plots planted with fruit trees.

Jotari Albanian Church (1st c.)

The history of Christianity in Azerbaijan dates back to the I century. Our first preachers of Christianity are the Holy Apostle Warfolomey and the disciple of the Holy Apostle Thaddeus - St. Elisha, ordained by the apostle James, the Lord's brother in Jerusalem, who built the first Christian church - the mother of the churches in the Caucasus in the village of Kish of the Sheki region.

 

19:00 End of tour (Overnight in Gabala)

9:00 Departure for a tour of Sheki

Sheki is the center of the eponymous district and eponymous historical region in Azerbaijan located in the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus, 77 km north of the Yevlakh railway junction. Until March 15, 1968 wore the name of Nuh. It was founded in the VIII century B.C. and was originally called Saksen or Sake, which is associated with the ethnonym of the Iranian Sakan tribes. Later the name was transformed into Shakashen, Shaka, Shakki (hence the name  Sheki).

 

Palace of Sheki Khans (XVIII century)

The palace of the Sheki khans is the former residence of the Sheki khans, located in Azerbaijan, in the city of Sheki, now a museum. Monument of history and culture of world importance, which is part of the State Historical and Architectural Reserve  Yuhary Bash. The building of the palace built in the XVIII century in the Persian style is located in the sublime northeastern part of the city in the territory enclosed by fortifications.

Caravansarais (XVIII century)

Of the caravanserais that existed in Sheki only two have survived to this day, traditionally called  Yukhary  and  Ashagi  Caravanserai, which translated from Azerbaijani as  Upper  and  Lower  Caravanserai. The construction of these caravanserais dates back to the 17th century. The lower and upper caravanserais, built by local craftsmen, by their planning structure, large size and facilities for trade are the largest recorded in the territory of the Caucasus.

 

Church in the village of Kish (XII century)

The church in the village of Kish is considered an ancient Christian church in the village of Kish, 5 km north of the city of Sheki on the territory of modern Azerbaijan. It has a special status among Albanian monuments. It has value not only as an architectural monument, but also has outstanding historical value. The history of the emergence of the church is connected with the history of the spread of Christianity in Caucasian Albania. The presence in historical sources of information about the construction of the church by the Apostle Elisha, is an irrefutable evidence of the apostolic beginning of the oldest Albanian independent church in the Caucasus.

13:00- 14:00 Lunch (tasting the national dish  Piti )

15:00 Departure to Baku

21:00 Arrival in Baku

Group tours schedule