The allure of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a vast country and a strategically important location on the ancient Silk Road. After thousands of years, Azerbaijan still showcases a diverse culture and traditions, along with many interesting destinations.

A view of the cityscape in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Source: Getty Images)

In Azerbaijan, many unique cultural activities are being offered to attract tourists from all over the world. To facilitate tourism, the Azerbaijani government has reduced the processing time for new visas to just three days. Exploring Azerbaijan has never been easier.

Eternal Flame

In Azerbaijan, vast underground oil and gas deposits have created incredible natural fires, including the Yanardag hillside – considered an eternal flame.

In many indigenous cultures, fire is considered a sacred sign through which people receive divine guidance, and Azerbaijanis are no exception. For Zoroastrians, fire represents light and goodness, symbolizing Ahura Mazda, the supreme god of wisdom in their religion. Therefore, believers view fire as sacred.

Because fire is a central focus of Zoroastrian worship, visitors can hire guides to take them to the hillsides of Yanardag and Ateshgah, ancient fire temples that served as shrines to Ahura Mazda for millennia. Even today, visitors can still see religious inscriptions from the North Indian subcontinent, carved above doorways, and a small bronze statue of Shiva in one of the temple's chambers.

Mud volcano erupts

The ancient city of Icherisheher, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is famous for its labyrinth of cobblestone streets. While initially difficult to navigate, Icherisheher was originally built for strategic purposes throughout history, and its streets lead visitors to important areas of the city such as the Maiden Tower, mosques, ancient hammam baths, and the Shirvanshahs Palace.

Near the capital Baku lies the Gobustan Conservation Area, where visitors can admire UNESCO-recognized ancient art. The area contains over 7,000 rock carvings, the oldest of which is 40,000 years old, as well as preserved burial sites and habitats.

Gobustan is also home to the world's highest concentration of mud volcanoes. Mud volcanoes are unlike typical volcanoes; they can be simply bubbling lakes, or they can erupt as high as 700 meters. Subsurface movements allow gases to escape the volcano, which can then be ignited to create a brief but spectacular display.

City of history

Another culturally rich destination is the city of Ganja. It's renowned for its magnificent, ancient buildings, blended with vibrant energy and exquisite cuisine . In the city center, visitors will find architecture from the Safavid (Persian) Empire, the Ganja Khanate (under Iranian control), and even the Tsarist and Soviet eras.

Here lies the Imamzadeh mausoleum, a structure dating back to the 14th century and restored in 2016, notable for its blue tiled dome shaped like a peacock and featuring intricate patterns.

Additionally, visitors should explore the interior and surroundings of Khan Park, a complex encompassing the Shah Abbas Mosque and the Safavid-era baths. Here, visitors can see the tomb of the last Ganja king and Khan Garden, a 6-hectare oasis in the heart of the city.

In Ganja, visitors should take the time to experience the local cuisine. Ganja pakhlava is made with a cream filling of honey, cardamom, cloves, saffron, and rose water, filled with shelled walnuts and topped with saffron syrup. Each cake is decorated with nuts or almonds...

"The jewel" in the crown of culture

Azerbaijanis are always proud to introduce Sheki to visitors from all over the world as one of the jewels in the crown of their country's culture.

Nestled in the forested slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, this region boasts a rich history of the Silk Road and is renowned for its architecture and hospitality. Visitors can wander along the cobblestone streets of the historic center, admiring the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sheki Khan Palace, a cultural gem of this beautiful West Asian country.

In addition, Sheki still practices traditional crafts. Stop and admire the silk and stained glass artisans before shopping at the local workshops.

The German imprint

Shamkir is a renowned location in Azerbaijan for producing world-class fruits and vegetables, so much so that it's known as the "Greenhouse of Azerbaijan." Historically, Shamkir was a stop on the Silk Road, and the impressive ruins of its long-abandoned city, located just 10 km away, can be explored in a single day.

Modern Shamkir, bearing the distinct mark of the German immigrants who arrived in this western region in 1819, gives the city a very German feel. Its inhabitants utilize their skills in winemaking, pickling, and architecture, leaving behind a legacy that can be experienced today and for centuries to come.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/suc-hap-dan-mang-ten-azerbaijan-253869.html