The attraction of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is a vast country and an important location on the ancient Silk Road. After thousands of years, Azerbaijan still shows a rich diversity of culture and traditions, along with interesting destinations.

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

In Azerbaijan, many special cultural activities are being opened to invite tourists from all over the world to experience. In order to create maximum conditions for tourists, the Azerbaijan government has reduced the processing time for new visas to three days. Never before has it been easier to explore Azerbaijan.

Eternal Flame

In Azerbaijan, vast underground oil and gas deposits have created incredible natural fires, including the Yanardag hillside – which is said to be an eternal flame.

In many indigenous cultures, fire is considered a sacred sign for humans to receive teachings from God and Azerbaijan is no exception. For Zoroastrians, fire is a representative of light and goodness, symbolizing Ahura Mazda, the supreme god of wisdom of this religion. Therefore, believers consider fire to have a sacred meaning.

Since fire is central to Zoroastrian worship, visitors can hire a guide to take them to the hillside of Yanardag and Ateshgah, an ancient fire temple that has been a place of worship for Ahura Mazda for millennia. To this day, visitors can still see religious inscriptions in Devanagari and Gurmukhi, originating from the North Indian subcontinent, carved above the doorways, and a small bronze statue of Shiva in one of the temple’s rooms.

Mud volcano eruption

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Icherisheher is famous for its maze of cobblestone streets. Although initially difficult to navigate, Icherisheher was built to serve strategic purposes throughout its history and its streets lead visitors to important parts of the city such as the Maiden Tower, the ancient mosques and hammams, and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.

Near the capital Baku is the Gobustan Conservation Area, a UNESCO-listed site for ancient art. It contains more than 7,000 rock carvings, the oldest of which is 40,000 years old, as well as preserved burial sites and habitats.

Gobustan also has the world’s largest concentration of mud volcanoes. Mud volcanoes are not typical volcanoes, but can range from bubbling lakes to eruptions reaching heights of up to 700m. Movements underground allow gases to escape from the volcano, which can ignite to create a brief but brilliant display.

City of history

Another culturally rich destination is the city of Ganja. It is famous for its magnificent ancient buildings, vibrant atmosphere 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 is the Imamzadeh Mausoleum, a 14th-century structure restored in 2016, featuring a blue-tiled dome with peacock motifs and intricate patterns.

Visitors should also explore in and around Khan Park, a complex that includes the Shah Abbas Mosque complex and Safavid-era baths. Here, visitors can see the mausoleum 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 regional cuisine. Ganja pakhlava is prepared with a cream made from honey, cardamom, cloves, saffron and rose water, filled with shelled walnuts and covered with saffron syrup. Each cake will be decorated with nuts or almonds...

The "jewel" in the cultural crown

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

Nestled in the forested slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, it has a rich Silk Road history and is renowned for its architecture and hospitality. Visitors can wander the cobbled streets of ancient buildings in the city’s Historic Centre, along with the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sheki Khan Palace, to see the cultural gem of the beautiful West Asian country.

Sheki also still practices traditional crafts. Stop by and watch silk painters and stained glass artists before shopping at local workshops.

German mark

This is Shamkir, a place in Azerbaijan so famous for producing world-class fruits and vegetables that it is called the “Greenhouse of Azerbaijan”. Shamkir was historically a stop on the Silk Road and the impressive ruins of the long-abandoned city are located 10km away, making it a day trip.

Modern Shamkir, which owes much to the Germans who migrated to the western part of the city in 1819, has a distinctly German feel. The people here have brought their skills in winemaking, pickling and architecture, leaving a legacy that can be experienced today and hundreds of years later.

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