The Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower

The Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower

The location of Baku has been inhabited since the Paleolithic period, and the city showcases the cultural continuity of various peoples in the area, including the Zoroastrians, Sasanians, Arabs, Persians, Shirvanis, Turks, and Russians. Baku’s Inner City preserves extensive 12th-century defensive walls, and it was also in the 12th century that the Maiden Tower was built atop the ruins of a structure dating back to between the 7th and 6th centuries BC.

The Shirvanshah's Palace, built in the 15th century, is a shining gem of Azerbaijani architectural history. The Maiden Tower is located in the center of Baku’s Old City, overlooking the Caspian Sea. In 1304, a massive earthquake struck the area, leveling many settlements, yet the tower remained unscathed. At the time of its construction, the waves of the sea lapped at its base, but today the water lies several hundred meters away. The tower is cylindrical in shape, slightly protruding on the eastern side, standing 27 meters tall with eight levels. Its base walls are 25 meters thick at the bottom and 4 meters thick at the top, all constructed from limestone. The stones are laid in alternating inward and outward curves, creating distinct horizontal lines along the wall. The tower can accommodate around 200 people and contains a well with refreshingly cool and sweet-tasting water. In 2000, the Walled City of Baku, including the Shirvanshah's Palace and the Maiden Tower, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural heritage site.