19223_ATB_Experience Azerbaijan Magazine_N5_V2_PREVIEW

ISSUE 5 | 2022

CONTENTS 

4 In this issue 

5-8 What's New 

10-19 The Transcaucasian Trail 

By Nazrin Garibova 

7 22 

ADS 

20-27 Lankaran Azerbaijan's 

Southern Capital 

By Tom Marsden 

28-37 The Soviet Layers of Baku 

By Gani Nasirov 

38-45 A Journey through 

Azerbaijani Cinema 

By Fidan Gabulova 

35 

46-51 The Marionette Theatre 

A Hidden Gem of 

Icherisheher 

By Zeynab Jahan 

40 

52-59 A History of the Oil Industry 

By Vahid Shukurov 

azerbaijan.travel 

60-69 Agritourism in 

North-westAzerbaijan 

By Kelly Chaib De Mares 

50 

54 

2 | EXPERIENCE AZERBAIJAN 

EXPERIENCE AZERBAIJAN | 1

78 

61 

70-77 The Tar Strings at the Heart 

of Azerbaijan 

By Ian Peart and Saadat Ibrahimova 

78-84 King of the Mountains 

By Tom Marsden 

86-97 Top 10 Villages to Visit 

By Irada Gadirova 

100-108 Ivanovka 

Rural Bliss in Ismayilli 

By Sayali Bahar and Tom Marsden 

110-123 Baku's Best 

House Museums 

By Alla Garagashli 

73 

97 

122 

Experience 

Azerbaijan 

Tom Marsden 

Editor 

Jamila Babayeva 

Art Director 

Fidan Aliyeva 

Marketing Manager 

Aziza Mahmudova 

Sales Manager 

Contributors: 

Alla Garagashli 

Kelly Chaib De Mares 

Vahid Shukurov 

Zeynab Jahan 

Fidan Gabulova 

Ian Peart 

Saadat Ibrahimova 

Irada Gadirova 

Sayali Bahar 

Gani Nasirov 

Nazrin Garibova 

Photo on cover 

Mountain forest in Shahdag 

National Park 

Photo: Rashad Isgenderoglu 

About the magazine 

Experience Azerbaijan is an annual travel magazine 

published by the Azerbaijan Tourism Board which 

aims to showcase the full range of attractions and 

experiences this exciting South Caucasian country 

has to offer. With articles and stories crafted by 

leading local and foreign writers, photographers 

and other content producers, we hope to inspire 

curious travellers to visit the country as well as 

to be a guide to its diverse people, nature, culture 

and events. Azerbaijan really is a land full of 

stories and surprises, so let us help you explore 

everything it has to offer: from its mountains and 

mud volcanoes to its carpets, castles and Caspian 

coastline. In every issue, you can expect to find a 

wealth of wisdom about both familiar haunts seen 

from fresh angles and hidden gems waiting to be 

discovered. 

Experience Azerbaijan is published by: 

Azerbaijan Tourism Board 

96E Nizami Street, 3rd Floor, Landmark 1, 

Baku, AZ1010, Azerbaijan 

Visit www.azerbaijan.travel 

to download an electronic version 

of the magazine. 

Are you a writer, photographer or content producer who would 

like to contribute to Experience Azerbaijan? 

If so, contact the editor at experienceazerbaijan@tourismboard.az 

For advertising enquiries please write to us 

at experienceazerbaijan@tourismboard.az 

The views and opinions expressed in the magazine belong 

to the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the 

Azerbaijan Tourism Board. 

No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without 

prior consent from the publisher. 


© 2022 Azerbaijan Tourism Board EXPERIENCE AZERBAIJAN | 3 

ISSUE 5 

2022 

ISSUE 5 | 2022

in this issue... 

Welcome to this bumper 2022 issue with a wealth of stories, plus practical information and trip 

planning inspiration aplenty! Enjoy a literary journey across the country, from the Caucasus 

Mountains in the north, to the southern Caspian coastline, taking in its spectacularly diverse 

scenery and discovering fascinating parts of its culture, cuisine and history. In particular, we 

reveal in detail places such as Lankaran and Ivanovka, the best off-the-beaten-track villages 

and the north-west farms offering agritourism experiences. In Baku, we get to grips with 

the country’s immense oil history and strip back the Soviet layers of architecture. If you’re a 

wildlife fanatic, don’t miss our story on the majestic Caucasus leopard, and if hiking is your 

thing you’ll be delighted to hear about the Transcaucasian Trail currently being constructed. 

Meanwhile, to experience Azerbaijan from the comfort of your home, we recommend some 

great films to watch set in diverse corners of the country. All this and more, so relax and enjoy! 

TOURISM NEWS 

Latest developments 

in Azerbaijani travel 

and tourism... 

Have something to say? 

To send us your feedback, write to the editor at experienceazerbaijan@tourismboard.az. 

We look forward to hearing from you! 

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented plenty of challenges for 

Azerbaijan’s developing tourism industry, but new attractions, 

experiences and infrastructure have continued to open. 

Here we take a look at WHAT’S NEW since our last issue. 

MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS... 

Irada Gadirova 

is a historian by profession and in 2014 started 

practising as a photographer. In 2016 she began 

travelling around the world as well as across 

her own country, combining her profession and 

hobby. During her travels, she emphasises the 

ethnography, history, unique cuisine and nature 

of each place she visits. And over the years, her 

photos taken in various regions have received 

awards at local and international photo contests. 

Currently a travel blogger, Irada is also working 

on a film project called "One Day of Her Life," 

which reflects the daily life of women in rural 

regions of the country. 

Her top tip: 

Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone and 

embark on an adventure and you’ll learn that 

Azerbaijan is a safe country for single women 

to travel in. Definitely visit the Gobustan State 

Reserve for its deep energy, and camp out or 

stay in huts on mountain pastures to feel the nomadic 

way of life. 

Fidan Gabulova 

is a teacher of Russian and Spanish languages 

as well as a freelance copywriter. She graduated 

from the Lomonosov Moscow State University, 

Faculty of Spanish Language and Literature. 

Since childhood, Fidan has been extremely fond 

of cinema and taken a serious interest in it, to 

the extent that while at university she sought 

to combine all her academic work and research 

with cinema, and specialised in studying the 

problems of translating Spanish films. Now she 

keeps a small blog where she writes reviews of 

movies. Also, she really loves to travel around 

Azerbaijan and one of her favourite places that 

holds a special place in her heart is Gakh. 

Her top tip: 

At least once in your life, visit this beautiful 

place (Gakh); in particular, Ilisu village. It’ll win 

you over with its wonderful atmosphere, kind 

people and very tasty food. Also, don't forget to 

visit the Ram-Rama waterfall there. You’ll have 

an unforgettable experience! 

Nazrin Garibova 

is an Azerbaijani-born, American-raised amateur-of-many-trades, 

with an avidity for exploring 

cultural nuance. She moved to the US 

at five years old, but finds her mind – and more 

recently, her hiking shoes – constantly wandering 

back to her roots. Currently, she’s stationed 

in Baku as a Fulbright ETA. She received her 

Bachelor’s in Government and Middle Eastern 

Studies from William & Mary, and plans on 

continuing her graduate studies focusing on the 

Caucasus. Nazrin is the project manager of the 

Transcaucasian Trail in Azerbaijan, and feels 

incredibly fortunate for the new perspectives of 

Azerbaijan that this experience has provided. 

Her favourite hobby is figure skating, but she’s 

finding ways to compensate for Baku's lack of 

ice by taking traditional dance lessons. 

Her top tip: 

Always exchange an offer of tea for a plethora 

of curious questions. The best stories of history 

and legend come out while waiting for a piping 

hot glass to cool down. 

New and improved Baku Zoo 

A new Baku Zoo opened its doors in the 

city’s Ganjlik district in October 2021 and 

has since proved extremely popular. It is 

a huge improvement on the former one, 

which did not meet modern standards, 

and hence the environmental organisation 

IDEA, led by Leyla Aliyeva, initiated 

a project to completely redevelop it. 

The first zoo appeared in Baku in 1928 

in Nizami Park in the Khatai district. 

From 1958 to 1985 it was located in Bayil 

and following a landslide moved to its 

current location. 

The new zoo has almost doubled in 

1. An iguana at Baku Zoo 

2. Nizami Park 

size to 4.25 hectares and boasts a more 

natural environment with spacious and 

comfortable enclosures adapted for each 

species. It includes an aquaterrarium, 

petting zoo, artificial lake and veterinary 

clinic. There is also a playground, 

lecture hall, electronic guide system and 

various entertainment facilities. It’s a 

great place to learn about Azerbaijan’s 

fauna. 

Nizami Park reopens 

The new zoo is part of an overarching 

process of beautifying Baku. A number 

of fine parks have opened in the city 

lately, the most recent being the new 

Nizami Park, unveiled in Baku’s Khatai 

district in late December 2021. Named 

after the great poet and philosopher, 

Nizami Ganjavi, the park is an 11.2 hectare 

expanse of green space and paths 

lined with benches and sitting areas, 

with a large lake, two fountains and an 

amphitheatre for festive events. 

Nizami Park is actually one of Baku’s 

oldest parks, originally being the gardens 

of Villa Petrolea, a unique settlement set 

up by the influential oil millionaires, 

the Nobel Brothers, for their workers 

during the “oil boom” of the late 19th 

century. It was renamed Nizami Park 

during the Soviet era, and became Luna 

Park in the early years of independence 

which subsequently fell into disuse. 

4 

| EXPERIENCE AZERBAIJAN 


TOURISM NEWS 

TOURISM NEWS 

The world's first 

oil tanker museum 

Another unique new attraction in the 

capital, Baku, is the Surakhani Ship 

Museum – the world’s first oil tanker 

museum. Step aboard and you’ll have 

the chance to discover the past and 

present of shipping on the Caspian Sea, 

dive deep into Baku’s oil industry, and 

get acquainted with the inner workings 

of a large transportation vessel. 

You can get active by learning morse 

code and how to tie nautical knots, or 

relax in the ship’s restaurant serving 

seafood and national cuisine amid an 

atmosphere of sea romance. One of the 

most interesting exhibits is the cabins 

and living rooms formerly used by the 

Surakhani’s crew, where everything has 

been left as it was in the 1960s. The Ship 

Museum is anchored by the Bayil section 

of the Baku Boulevard. Learn more at 

www.surakhanishipmuseum.az 

Animal adventures in Shamakhi 

Since our last issue two interesting wildlife 

experiences have opened for visitors 

to the Shamakhi region. 

The first is the Shamakhi Safari 

Park (@safari_park_shamakhi) which, 

though in existence since 2017, only 

recently opened to visitors, offering a 

safari experience in the picturesque 

Caucasus Mountains. The park covers an 

area of over 1,000 hectares in the highmountain 

area of Pirgulu and is home to 

more than 1,000 wild animals shipped 

over from a variety of countries. You 

can see herds of red deer, Altai wapiti, 

mouflon, alpaca, bison and yak in a 

natural habitat, and even get up close 

and feed them. 

The second is the Shamakhi Alpaca 

Farm in Meysari village (www.alpaca.az; 

@alpaca.azerbaijan). Visitors to the farm 

have the opportunity to meet, feed 

and take photos with a large family of 

alpacas, friendly and huggable creatures 

whose homeland is the Andes Mountains 

of South America. 

1. The observation point on Sleeping Beauty Peak, Tufandag 

2. Shamakhi Alpaca Farm 

3-4. Surakhani Ship Museum 

5. Khudaveng Monastery. Photo: Shutterstock/Eva Mont 

6. A gorge near Shusha. Photo: Shutterstock/Eva Mont 

New attractions 

at Shahdag and Tufandag 

Elsewhere, two new year-round 

adrenaline attractions have 

opened at the country’s premier 

mountain resorts, Shahdag and 

Tufandag, offering great snowboarding 

and skiing in winter 

and a host of summer activities 

like hiking, jeep tours and 

paragliding. 

New to the Shahdag Mountain 

Resort (www.shahdag.az) in the 

Gusar region is the first mountain 

coaster (Alpine Coaster) in 

the Caucasus, featuring a 1670m 

track with 9 thrilling turns at 

1,430 metres above sea level. You 

can zoom down on sleds at speeds 

of 40km/h, admiring the sensational 

scenery as you go. The 

following YouTube video gives a 

good impression: www.youtube. 

com/watch?v=M9bz6yXqBT0 

Meanwhile, over at the 

Tufandag Mountain Resort 

(www.tufandag.com) in Gabala, 

two mountain swings installed 

at 1,920 metres on a mountain 

called Sleeping Beauty provide 

both an awesome adrenaline 

rush and incredible views as 

you swing above white-topped 

mountains and forested slopes. 

Tourism in Karabakh 

Important tourism-related developments 

have taken place in the liberated 

region of Karabakh. In 2021, the region’s 

first airport, Fuzuli International 

Airport, was constructed and opened 

within just eight months. It boasts baggage 

conveyors, VIP lounges, a registration 

system and a 3,000 metre long runway, 

as well as the capacity to handle 

200 passengers an hour. 

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani citizens can 

now carry out day trips to the region on 

special bus services, accompanied by 

police and guides, launched between 

Baku and the two major Karabakh cities 

of Aghdam and Shusha in late January 

2022. 

6 



tee off in 


Sharg Bazaar completed 

An iconic structure of the Soviet period 

has just reopened in Baku. Sharg Bazaar 

(Eastern Bazaar) was completed in 1982 

and became widely regarded as an outstanding 

example of Soviet modernism 

mixed with elements of traditional 

Azerbaijani architecture. It featured 

a series of octagonal cupola-shaped 

buildings set around a central yard. The 

structure was so striking that in 1989 it 

was nominated for the Aga Khan Award 

for Architecture. However, over time the 

building deteriorated and demanded restoration, 

which began in 2018. 

The renovated complex contains 

three main bazaar sections, selling fruit 

and veg, spices, sweets, plants and 

souvenirs. Additional attractions are 

a food court, teahouse and restaurant 

as well as areas devoted to national 

handicrafts like carpets and ceramics, 

plus national clothes, antiques and 

jewellery. The aim is to help visitors 

discover Azerbaijan’s Eastern spirit. 

7-8. Sharg Bazaar 


8 



the 

Transcaucasian 

TRAIL 

An exciting project to create a huge 

hiking route across the South Caucasus 

has arrived in Azerbaijan. 

Project manager Nazrin Garibova 

outlines the details and describes 

the amazing experiences awaiting 

future hikers. 

A SUMMER OF CONQUERING 

MOUNTAIN PEAKS, 

CROSSING THICK FORESTS 

AND RUSHING RIVERS, 

GUZZLING DOWN ENDLESS 

CUPS OF SAMOVAR TEA, 

RUNNING INTO TIMELESS 

RELICS, AND SEEING 

AZERBAIJAN FROM A NEW, 

GRATIFYING PERSPECTIVE… 

I SPENT SUMMER 2021 

HIKING HUNDREDS OF 

KILOMETRES ALONG 

AZERBAIJAN’S GREATER 

CAUCASUS RANGE, IN 

SEARCH OF NEW HIKING 

ROUTES FOR FUTURE 

TRAVELLERS. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NAZRIN GARIBOVA, 

SHOWING HER EPIC JOURNEY IN SUMMER 

2021 

Walking the Caucasus Mountains is a 

phenomenal experience. They proudly 

boast their charm and history, making 

sure that each visitor embarks on an 

incomparable adventure. As welcoming 

as their hospitable inhabitants, 

the mountains invite you to peer up 

and down their canyons as eagles soar 

into and out of the chasms; to mount 

their peaks and feel miniscule at the 

astounding views from towering pastures; 

indulge in the ripe, flavourful 

fruits of their trees; and pick petals for 

fresh tea among fragrant flower fields. 

The mountains are not afraid to put 

on a show: they’ll send you through 

inordinate mazes of devouring, tenacious 

thorns; they’ll flaunt their powerful 

storms and bellowing thunders; 

they’ll bring you to irascible shepherd 

dogs, barking incessantly in defence of 

their herds. 

But the finale of every spectacle 

brings a revitalising sense of peace. 

Such scenes end with gorging on 

juicy blackberries, sun rays beaming 

through lazy fog in heavenly arrangements, 

and fresh tea and joyful conversation 

with shepherds and their 

calmed canines. Every trek is an exciting 

journey full of surprises and 

wonders. 

10 



BUILDING 

A TRAIL 

Every trek 

is an exciting 

journey full 

of surprises 

and wonders 

The Transcaucasian Trail (TCT) intends 

to provide hikers with a path to immerse 

themselves in such adventures in the 

Caucasus Mountains. Upon completion, 

this long-distance hiking route will span 

over 3,000 kilometres along the Caucasus 

Mountains. 

The TCT is a project that has been in 

development since 2015. It will consist 

of two routes: a North-South route from 

northern Georgia to southern Armenia, 

and an East-West route that intersects it. 

The East-West route will stretch from the 

Black Sea coast in Georgia to the shore of 

the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan. The trail 

through Azerbaijan will span from the 

mountains of Balaken to Siyazan, and include 

a variety of landscapes, monuments, 

villages, and experiences. 

Last year, the TCT began its first project 

in Azerbaijan, marking the involvement of 

all three countries of the South Caucasus in 

the overall project. The creation of this trail 

is an enormous undertaking, and its completion 

will be a great feat. With the par- 

ticipation of Georgia, Armenia, and now 

Azerbaijan, the process can be facilitated 

through mutual efforts and collaboration, 

and promote regional tourism. 

I reached out to the Transcaucasian Trail 

Association in the spring of 2020, having 

noticed that the project had not yet expanded 

into Azerbaijan. With the support 

of the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, which 

has already invested in and improved 

the conditions of 16 trails throughout the 

country, we devised a scouting expedition 

to start planning a hiking trail across 

Azerbaijan. 

I spent the summer of 2021 trekking the 

Caucasus ranges of northern Azerbaijan 

to evaluate existing trails and identify potential 

routes and connections. During the 

expedition, we found several trails in great 

condition for hikers, and other sections 

with great potential for trail development. 

Even more so, it created countless impressions 

and memories, from admiring vast 

varieties of vistas, to finding friends, both 

human and ungulate, at every corner. 



EXPLORING 

THE 

CAUCASUS 

At times, I’d hear 

three or four 

different Caucasian 

languages within a 

couple of days 

Azerbaijan has a reputation for being 

diverse in its climate zones and landscapes. 

This certainly proved to be 

true in the breathtaking, other-worldly 

sights offered from the rapidly-changing 

mountains. In the east in Siyazan, hikers 

begin in a semi-desert climate, among 

foothills and low mountains with fascinating 

rock formations. A bit west, and 

the striated canyons of Guba and Gusar 

provide an incomparable sight, accompanied 

by rushing rivers and waterfalls, 

saturated wildflower fields, green carpets 

of grass covering the mountains 

where the Earth’s crust is folded into 

layers. 

On the south side of the Greater 

Caucasus, Ismayilli and Gabala bring a 

dramatically different type of flora – forests 

of poplars, beeches, oaks and maples, 

chestnut and hazelnut trees create a dense 

network of green, through endless trunks 

and surprising vistas. The forests continue 

northward to the Georgian border, but 

every section provides novel sights, and 

every day the clouds, the sun, and its rise 

and fall, play together to form paintings 

in the sky and colourful shades along the 

mountainside. 

The diversity of the country extends to 

its population. Multiple ethno-linguistic 

groups native to the Caucasus reside in 

the mountain villages. At times, I’d hear 

three or four different Caucasian languages 

within a couple of days. Local legends and 

histories are accompanied by countless 

artefacts, including fortresses, mosques, 

churches and monasteries, and pirs. 

Despite the variety of peoples, languages, 

and cultures, Caucasian hospitality remains 

constant. The warm hospitality and 

geniality present in Azerbaijani villages 

along the trail is heartfelt and unforgettable. 

Eating tskan with Lezgis in Gusar, 

kelem dolmasi with Griz people and currant 

preserves alongside herbal tea with 

Tats in Guba, piti with Azeris in Sheki, 

warm freshly boiled chestnuts with Avars 

in Zagatala – every stop along the trail in 

Azerbaijan’s mountains offered a variety 

of flavours, languages, and conversations, 

with the same warmth and authenticity in 

its people’s hospitality. It’s impossible to 

escape, even when you try. 

The village of Orduj was one of many 

places which we couldn’t leave – that 

is, not without accepting Azer muellim’s 

family’s earnest breakfast invitation. In 

Gumurdehne, Rza muellim and Khalide 

khanim spotted us walking from several 

hundred metres away, and wouldn’t let 

us continue without having a cup of tea, 

which turned into an entire samovar and a 

hearty dinner. 

Those who don’t stay in the villages, 

wandering the trails with their sheep, dogs, 

and horses, are no exception to the rule of 

hospitality. The shepherds of Azerbaijan 

are the most important contributors to 

the country’s trail system as they travel 

with their flocks. The shepherds know 

the ins and outs of the trails, as they’ve 

been mastering these routes for generations, 

and they consistently extended their 

knowledge and kindness to us and the 

Transcaucasian Trail project. Some of the 

most memorable moments of trail-scouting 

were befriending shepherds, which would 

lead to sharing fresh kebab on a 3,000-metre 

altitude plateau, or warming up from an 

early autumn storm over hot tea. In fact, 

thanks to the shepherds, no day went by 

without a gluttonous amount of tea (in true 

Azerbaijani fashion). 



CREATING 

OPPORTUNITIES 

As we hiked this summer, we pieced together 

a route composed of old Soviet 

trails, hiking trails developed by the 

Azerbaijan Tourism Board, and small 

paths shown to us by locals. 

By spring 2022, visitors will be able 

to hike the first two official sections of 

the Transcaucasian Trail in Azerbaijan 

– two routes, in the Sheki-Zagatala and 

in the Guba-Khachmaz regions, totalling 

roughly 200 kilometres, which will 

be published on the Transcaucasian 

Trail and Azerbaijan Tourism Board platforms 

(www.transcaucasiantrail.org and 

www.azerbaijan.travel). 

The plan for moving forward in route 

development is yet to be finalised. 

But, drawing from the lessons and 

experiences of trail-building in Georgia 

and Armenia, the process will highly 

depend on local people and organisations. 

The Transcaucasian Trail Association, 

an American non-profit organisation, 

supports and promotes the trail across the 

region, but trail work is done in partnership 

with local organisations. 

Involving local people is essential: the 

Transcaucasian Trail team communicates 

and discusses the project with villages 

through which the route passes, and 

works to create sustainable, local-led action 

plans to accomplish its mission. For 

example, aside from volunteer groups who 

spend weeks in the summer building and 

maintaining trails, TCT Georgia launched a 

Caucasus Conservation Corps programme, 

through which young people with a passion 

for the outdoors and potential for 

leadership are trained to be crew leaders in 

trail-building and -maintenance projects. In 

Azerbaijan, the possibilities for involving 

local people and organisations in the construction, 

expansion, and appreciation of 

the TCT are vast. 

Additionally, the Transcaucasian Trail 

brings more tourists, both domestic and international, 

to the rural areas of the region. 

This approach has been shown to boost the 

economies of the areas it passes through, 

through increased traffic to local businesses 

such as guesthouses, markets and restaurants, 

and guiding and driving services. 



APPRECIATING 

THE 

EXTRAORDINARY 

The Caucasus region 

is vast and diverse 

in its landscapes and 

inhabitants, and each 

piece complements the 

rest in its exquisite 

totality 

The world possesses plenty of beautiful 

mountains and ranges, but the people, 

cultures, hospitality, and experiences 

are irreplaceable. The Caucasus region is 

vast and diverse in its landscapes and inhabitants, 

and each piece complements 

the rest in its exquisite totality. Including 

Azerbaijan into the Transcaucasian Trail 

is a great step closer towards the mission 

of promoting regional appreciation and 

environmental stewardship. 

In time, the route will carry both locals 

and visitors across the Greater Caucasus, 

from sea to sea, and provide a simple way 

of appreciating the extraordinary. Climbing 

mountain after mountain by simply putting 

one foot in front of the other is an incredibly 

humbling and addictive experience that 

allows hikers to cherish these grandiose 

mountains in a novel and genuine way. 



Lankaran 

AZERBAIJAN's 

SOUTHERN CAPITAL 

by Tom Marsden 

A CHARMING CITY (AND REGION) WEDGED BETWEEN THE 

CASPIAN SEA AND THE TALISH MOUNTAINS, LANKARAN 

FUSES AN INTRIGUING LOCAL HISTORY AND CULTURE 

WITH GASTRONOMIC TRADITIONS UNIQUE ENOUGH TO 

CONVINCE UNESCO TO RECENTLY ADD LANKARAN TO ITS 

CREATIVE CITIES NETWORK. WE UNCOVER HOW TO MAKE 

THE MOST OF A VISIT. 

Only a few years ago, 

covering the 268km 

from Baku to Lankaran 

involved a five-hour-plus 

trip along a bumpy single 

lane road, or an even 

longer overnight train 

journey. Today, however, 

the city (and the southeast 

in general) has been 

rendered massively more 

accessible thanks to a 

smooth new highway that 

cuts south from Baku, 

ensuring a journey time 

of around just two 

and a half hours. 

During the journey, your eyes 

will inevitably be drawn to the 

quickly changing landscapes 

beyond the window, beginning 

with the desert-like landscapes 

beyond Baku, especially near 

Gobustan (stop if you can to see 

the UNESCO-listed petroglyphs 

and mud volcanoes). Soon after 

an oddly captivating semi-desert 

emerges around Salyan (visit the 

Shirvan National Park to fully 

appreciate it), which gradually 

gives way to lush green fields and 

forests in the Masalli region and 

then the Talish Mountains begin to 

rise majestically in the background. 

Sighting those means you’ve 

arrived in Azerbaijan’s subtropical 

south, the capital of which is 

Lankaran. 

1. Fishermen on the Caspian Sea. Photo: Khalid 

20 



2. The Lankaran Lighthouse. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

3. The Hazi Aslanov statue. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

4. A street in the city centre. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

5. The Heydar Aliyev Centre. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

Explore the city 

Conveniently, Lankaran’s city centre is 

small enough that all the visit-worthy 

places are within easy walking distance. 

Sights to admire include several attractive 

19th-century mosques (notably 

Boyuk Bazar Mosque), numerous shops 

and restaurants and the Heydar Aliyev 

Centre, housing a museum to the national 

leader as well as a youth centre. But 

the following museums and monuments 

are what you should focus on: 

The city’s most striking building is 

the Khan’s House, built in 1913 by a 

French architect for an aristocrat named 

Mir Ahmad khan, a descendant of the 

Lankaran khans who ruled this corner 

of south-eastern Azerbaijan under the 

Talish Khanate from 1747 to 1828. Mir 

Ahmad reportedly had it built for his beloved 

wife, Tugra khanim, following her 

victory in a Caucasian beauty contest, 

and the Art Nouveau structure is famed 

for being the first multi-storey building 

in Lankaran as well as the first to have 

been wired up with electricity. Today 

it contains the Lankaran Historical 

Museum, boasting a collection of over 

6,000 artefacts linked to the region’s history 

and ethnography. 

Back in the days of the Talish 

Khanate, Lankaran was a small port city 

surrounded by fortress walls, which disappeared 

sometime after the Russians 

captured it in 1813. Today, two fortress 

towers are the lone relics of this bygone 

era and are well worth taking a look at. 

One of them, the cylindrical, red-brick 

Zindan Tower, served as a prison until 

the 1970s and legend has it a young 

Joseph Stalin was held here briefly 

during his early revolutionary activities 

in the Caucasus. The other fortress remnant 

is the Lankaran Lighthouse, which 

functioned as a defensive tower before 

being equipped with lights in 1869. Both 

buildings date to the mid-18th century 

and they are rumoured to be connected 

via an underground tunnel. They 

are not normally open to visitors, but 

the Lankaran Destination Management 

Organisation (lankaran@tourism.gov.az; 

+99425 255 4843) may be able to arrange 

access. 

A stone’s throw from the Lighthouse, 

on a central square, you’ll notice an impressive 

Socialist Realist statue of local 

hero Hazi Aslanov, who rose from humble 

beginnings in Lankaran to become 

one of the Soviet army’s youngest ever 

generals, having excelled in the World 

War II battles of Moscow and Stalingrad. 

The Hazi Aslanov House Museum, which 

recounts his short but eventful life across 

multiple rooms in his former residence, 

is also worth a visit. 

6. The Khan's House. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

7. The Youth Centre. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

8. The Zindan Tower. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 



Try Talish cuisine 

Hopping between sites is bound to make 

you hungry and give you the perfect excuse 

to tuck into Lankaran’s highly regarded 

local cuisine, which is heavily influenced 

by the large Talish population, 

the Talish being an ethnic minority split 

between Azerbaijan and Iran with a language 

close to Farsi. The delicious dishes 

not to miss include lavangi, made from 

chicken or fish stuffed with a walnut and 

pomegranate paste and cooked in a tandoor 

oven; dozens of types of pilaf, including 

a very popular pumpkin variety; 

and kuku, an omelette-like mix of fresh 

herbs and eggs cooked with butter in a 

frying pan. If you contact the Lankaran 

DMO, you can even learn how to make 

them during masterclasses. 

Besides its Talish dishes, this subtropical 

zone is also Azerbaijan’s production 

centre of citrus fruits, black tea 

and brown rice, which grow easily in the 

fertile soil, enriched by the abundance of 

rain in the region. If you visit in autumn 

you’ll find local orchards brimming with 

aromatic lemons, mandarins, kiwis, feijoa, 

loquats and kumquats. The Citrus 

Valley (IG: @citrusvalley_lankaran) plantation 

offers the opportunity to pick all 

these fruits and breathe in their wonderful 

aromas. 

Lankaran is where tea was first grown 

in Azerbaijan back in the early 20th 

century, and the country’s first tea factory 

opened here in 1937. Tea has since 

turned into a local symbol of the southeast 

region, which hosts numerous tea 

plantations. One of them, Yashil Chay 

(www.yashilchay.az) in the village of 

Istisu, offers tours with tea leaf gathering 

and tea-making masterclasses. 

To appreciate the region’s bountiful 

produce all in one place, meanwhile, 

have a wander around the Lankaran 

Bazaar, which is one of the most animated 

in Azerbaijan and chock-full 

of fruit, veg, homewares, clothes and 

crafts hawked by friendly locals. And if 

you come in December, time your trip to 

coincide with the annual Tea, Rice and 

Citrus Fruits Festival (suspended during 

the pandemic), which is alive with local 

music, food, culture and craftsmanship. 

NEED TO KNOW 

Getting there 

Travelling by bus from Baku 

International Bus Terminal to Lankaran 

takes 4 hours and costs 7 AZN. Shared 

taxis also depart regularly from Baku 

International Bus Terminal and get 

you to Lankaran in about 2.5 hours for 

20-25 AZN. Trains from Baku Railway 

Station to Astara stop in Lankaran 9 

hours later with tickets costing 8.50-15 

AZN. Another good option is to rent a 

car and travel independently. 

Where to stay 

Lankaran Springs offers luxurious 

rooms, a wellness centre and 

large grounds; Riva Hill Resort (IG: 

@rivahill_lankaran) has a large pool and 

lovely riverside location; Khazar Palace 

(@khazar_palace_lankaran) is upmarket 

and right by the sea; Khan Lankaran 

(@xanlankaran_hotel ) is popular for its 

excellent local cuisine and historical 

atmosphere; and Hirkan Park Hotel 

(@hirkan_park_hotel ) has fantastic 

forest and mountain scenery. 

Where to eat 

For local cuisine, any of the 

following are recommended: Khan 

Lankaran (@xanlankaran_hotel ), 

Nilado (@nilado.green.lenkeran), 

Dad House (@dadhouse.az), 

Basharu (@basharu.resort), Riva Hill 

(@rivahill_lankaran) and Khazar Palace 

(@khazar_palace_lankaran). 

If you crave a coffee, try the stylish Tor 

Coffee Shop (@torcoffeeshop) in the city 

centre. 

9. The tea and samovar monument. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

10. A display at the Tea, Rice and Citrus Fruits Festival. Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

11. A Yashil Chay tea plantation 



Head into the wild 

It would be foolish to visit Lankaran and 

not make the most of its luxuriant countryside, 

dominated by the Caspian coast 

and the Talish Mountains. The easiest 

and safest way to immerse yourself in 

the local biodiversity is to visit the region’s 

two national parks. 

The Hirkan National Park, which extends 

further south into Astara, was 

established to protect the Hyrcanian 

(or Hirkan) Forest, which extends from 

the lowlands into the Talish Mountains 

and is known in particular for its large 

number of endemic tertiary relict tree 

species that survived the last Ice Age, 

including ironwood, Hycanian box, 

chestnut-leaved oak, velvet maple, 

Caucasian persimmon and Caucasian 

zelkova, among many others, which are 

at their most eye-catching in autumn. 

The park’s fauna is no less interesting, 

including lynx, wolf, wild boar, brown 

bear, roe deer, golden jackal. There are 

two notable endemics, too, in the form of 

the Caspian tit and the Caucasian leopard. 

The tit does occasionally show itself 

to visitors guided by an experienced 

birdwatcher, but the leopard is so rare 

and elusive that it's almost a mythical 

creature. A number of ecotourism routes 

allow visitors to plunge deep into the enchanting, 

moss-covered forest to rustic 

villages and waterfalls. One easily accessible 

beauty spot is Khanbulan Lake, 

located 17km from the city, where locals 

frequently come for a peaceful pot of tea 

amid the towering trees and lovely lakeside 

vistas. 

Further north, meanwhile, the Gizil 

Aghaj National Park (which also covers 

large parts of the Masalli and Neftchala 

regions) presents an entirely different 

landscape of wetlands and Caspian Sea 

coastline and is one of Azerbaijan’s top 

sites for birdwatching. The wetlands are 

a vital wintering, resting and nesting 

spot along the north-south bird migration 

route along the Caspian coastline, 

attracting flamingos, herons, pelicans, 

bustards, storks, spoonbills and countless 

other bird species. The park is also 

home to grey wolves, reed cats, wild 

boar, vipers and various other interesting 

creatures, and seven ecotourism 

routes have been set up for visitors. 

For more information about 

these national parks, check out 

www.nationalparks.az (in Azerbaijani). 

. 

Relax and recharge 

Those tired after all the Talish cuisine 

and exploring the city and countryside 

will be glad to discover that Lankaran 

is among Azerbaijan’s top wellness 

destinations. This is largely due to its 

abundance of hot springs with natural 

healing properties, which locals have 

long used to cure all manner of ailments. 

In the Soviet period, the village 

of Haftoni was well-known for a sanatorium 

named Istisu (meaning “Hot 

Water”) that hosted thousands of health 

seekers annually. In 2018 the old sanatorium 

was replaced by the ultra-modern 

Lankaran Springs and Wellness Resort 

(www.lankaransprings.az) where, besides 

the traditional therapeutic hot mineral 

water baths, guests are invited to indulge 

in a host of other soothing treatments 

designed to boost wellbeing. 

Lankaran Springs offers special health 

packages starting from 110 AZN per 

night per person, though if your budget 

doesn’t stretch that far, you can always 

visit the local hot springs in villages such 

as Ibadi, where simple huts contain pools 

of the naturally hot and healing water, 

bathing in which costs just 3 AZN. 

For more natural health remedies, in 

summer head to local beaches located 

both in the city and the nearby villages of 

Ashagi Nuvedi and Narimanabad. These 

are also considered curative thanks to 

their black, volcanic sand, which when 

heated by the sun becomes an effective 

treatment for the likes of rheumatism, 

joint pains and vertebral issues. 

12. A hatmaker in the bazaar. 

Photo: Ilgar Azimov 

13. The Lankaran Bazaar. 


14. Gizil Aghaj National Park 

15. Khanbulan Lake 

16. Hiking around Khanbulan Lake. 


17. The Lankaran Springs resort. 

Photo: Zamin Samedov 



The Soviet Layers 

OF BAKU 

Discover the secrets of the Azerbaijani capital’s 

Soviet-era architecture with local tour guide 

Gani Nasirov. 

When the capitalist era of development in 

Baku ceased to exist with the establishment of 

Azerbaijan Socialist Soviet Republic in 1922, socialism 

became the primary means to achieve 

modernity, enlightenment and human progress 

in society. The Soviet political leadership acquired 

an unchallenged power, and state interference 

in every aspect of social, political and 

economic life became definitive. 

Meanwhile, Baku, the capital city, grew 

bigger in terms of territory and population, 

which paved the way for a new term: Greater 

Baku. Oil was still a crucial factor, however 

Baku was no longer solely an exporter of crude 

oil, but also oil expertise and technology, to the 

Soviet Republics. It became the “oil academy” 

1. The Gulustan Palace 

and contributed to discoveries all over the 

Soviet Union. Baku was both a cosmopolitan 

city with diverse social classes and ethnicities, 

and an urban environment with a high social 

capital. 

The architecture of Soviet Baku was subject 

to the changing tastes of the Soviet leaders, 

each of whom would enact a different policy 

about how it should be. Thus, it evolved 

from constructivism (1920s-1930s) to the 

Stalinist empire style (socialist realism mixed 

with national romanticism, 1933-1954). The 

Khrushchev era saw the rise of architecture 

coined “Soviet modernism,” which lasted until 

the fall of the Soviet Union. 

Breaking with European eclecticism 

Constructivism was a popular modern 

architecture movement in the early 

years of socialism in Baku, during the 

1920s and early 1930s. The constructivist 

movement combined technological 

innovation with modern engineering 

methods and the values of socialism, 

which resulted in stylistically abstract, 

bold geometric masses and shapes. 

The principles of constructivism 

largely reflected the revolutionary political 

and social environment of the era. 

All endeavours aimed at searching for 

new architectural solutions for the urban 

planning and housing needs of workers. 

It brought an end to half a century’s 

dominance of European eclecticism in 

Baku’s built environment. Baku was no 

longer the “Paris of the Caspian,” a modern 

European city, but a “city of the New 

Socialist Man.” 

Many architects embraced constructivism 

during the 1920s. Among its leading 

proponents were the Vesnin brothers, 

one of whose first constructivist 

projects was to build a workers' town, a 

complex of a residential neighbourhood 

with houses, social services and green 

public spaces, in Baku in 1925. 

Because of the expansion of Baku’s oil 

fields, the earliest grand constructivism 

projects focused on the construction of 

experimental socialist residential neighbourhoods 

to facilitate communication 

with the oil fields. Moreover, construc- 

tivist architecture attempted to shape 

the way humans interacted outside their 

family home by designing “kitchen factories” 

and “culture houses,” which were 

common spaces where workers spent 

their work and leisure time. 

The most notable development of the 

era, however, was the construction of 

the constructivist residential block no 

171 (aka Ermenikend), an approach that 

has been seen by many as the birth of the 

socialist residential superblock. Another 

grand landmark of constructivism in 

downtown Baku is Semen Pen’s project 

of the “Press Palace,” or “Azerneshr,” 

constructed in 1932. 



Baku was no longer 

the “Paris of the 

Caspian,” a modern 

European city, but 

a “city of the New 

Socialist Man” 

2. A workers' club in the former Black City 

3. A house of culture in Bayil 

4. The 26 Baku Commissars Workers' Club 

5. Constructivist housing near the city centre 

6-7. The Press Palace building 



Socialist realist architecture 

The approval given for the construction 

of the magnificent Palace of Soviets by 

Boris Iofan in Moscow in 1933 marked 

the beginning of the return to monumental 

historicism. The architecture of this 

era is known as socialist realism or alternatively 

as the Stalinist empire style 

(Stalin’s socialist realism). 

It featured monumental landmarks 

similar to ancient Greco-Roman temples 

with massive pediments and theatrically 

displayed grand arcades and colonnades. 

Hasan Majidov’s architectural imagination 

posited these distinctive features in 

his works of the Museum Centre (formerly 

the Lenin Museum) and the Culture 

House of the State Security Service (formerly 

the Dzerzhinsky Club). 

However, with Boris Iofan’s magnificent 

project never being realised, 

the construction of Baku’s Palace of 

Soviets (now Government House, by 

Lev Rudnev and V.O. Munts) during 

1934-1952 had a paramount impact on 

the development of a local style of socialist 

realism in Baku. It led to a process 

of systematically studying Azerbaijan’s 

local architectural traditions, from 

Icherisheher and the medieval castles of 

Absheron to the Sheki Khan’s Palace and 

the historical landmarks of Karabakh 

and Nakhchivan. 

In Azerbaijan, this era created a suitable 

environment for Azerbaijani architects 

to produce a national style that 

was called “Azerbaijani national romanticism.” 

This architecture advocated 

the adoption of decorations, ornaments 

and tall and large archways rooted in 

Oriental and Azerbaijani culture. 

Mikayil Huseynov and Sadig 

Dadashov were leading proponents 

of this movement. Their Azerbaijan 

Pavilion in Moscow in 1939 earned them 

a Stalin Prize, which validated their style 

based on national culture and Oriental 

ornaments. Completion of the residential 

apartment blocks “Buzovnaneft,” 

“Azneftzavod” and “House of Scientists” 

after World War II added a Moorish influence 

to their reinvention of the national 

style. One of the duo’s most remarkable 

works was remodelling the old neoclassical 

Metropol Hotel into the national romanticist 

Nizami Museum of Literature 

with a loggia (western façade) and tall 

pointed arches against a background 

of blue tiles designed by Latif Karimov, 

the founder of the Azerbaijan Carpet 

Museum. 

The untimely death of Sadig Dadashov 

was a great loss in terms of Azerbaijan’s 

Soviet architecture. Nonetheless, 

Mikayil Huseynov went on to create 

one of the greatest works, the complex 

of the Academy of Sciences, designed in 

1948 and constructed between 1951 and 

1966. Huseynov’s approach in designing 

the group of monumental buildings followed 

the philosophy of Moscow’s Seven 

Sisters, magnificent skyscrapers built in 

the Stalinist empire style. Nonetheless, 

he stayed loyal to his national style by 

including grand pointed arches, golden 

Oriental capitals and red-granite columns. 

Khrushchev’s rise to power prevented 

the completion of a grand central 

structure with majestic domes on each 

top corner, as projected. 

8. Government House. 

Photo: Shutterstock/leszczem 

9. Stalinist empire style building. 

Photo: Gani Nasirov 

10. The residence for scientists, 

national style. 


11. The Academy of Sciences. 


12. The National Library. 


It featured monumental 

landmarks similar to ancient 

Greco-Roman temples with 

massive pediments and 

theatrically displayed grand 

arcades and colonnades 



The empire’s last style 

The Khrushchev era saw the rise of architecture now 

known as “Soviet modernism” which lasted until the 

fall of the Soviet Union. The period 1955-1991 saw radical 

changes in approaches to architecture and in particular 

urban planning. Rooted in the Russian avant-garde, 

Soviet modernist architecture was primarily 

utilitarian, so decorations and ornaments on buildings 

were rejected. 

The main objective put before architects was to find 

a solution to the shortage of housing for Soviet families, 

and the solution had to be accomplished economically. 

This is when massive, monotonous and austere matchbox-like 

buildings appeared in the built environment of 

Baku. The former individual approach to architectural 

solutions was replaced with mass production, and aesthetic 

beauty was dumped in favour of functionality. 

Nonetheless, proponents of Soviet modernism point 

out its distinctive features: plasticity, transparency, 

airiness, spatial complexity, innovative methods of 

using contemporary materials, refinement of details, 

novelty and abstract imagery, and beauty of contrasting 

forms. 

Moreover, local modernist architectural trends 

emerged from Soviet modernism, which gave rise to 

the autochthon style of modernism in the Caucasus. 

Some Azerbaijani architects even went further by identifying 

the period 1975-1985 as the era of “Baku socialist 

modernism.” 

This era brought more plurality to the Soviet architecture 

of Baku, with the participation of more local 

architects such as Talat Khanlarov, Enver Ismayilov, 

Yuzef Kadimov, Abram Surkin, Vadim Shulgin, 

along with Mikayil Huseynov. Equally importantly, 

Azerbaijani women architects, such as Shafiga 

Zeynalova and Zeynab Guliyeva, brought an end to the 

male monopoly over architecture in Azerbaijan by creating 

equally great masterpieces during this era. 

Baku has iconic landmarks of Soviet modernism also 

that deserve publicity, acclaim and praise. There are 

numerous experimental residential apartments that 

stand out exceptionally, however most of the masterpieces 

are public and administrative offices, sport complexes 

and concert halls. 

13. The Pearl cafe 

14. Baku State Circus. Photo: Gani Nasirov 

15. The Baku Olympic Centre 

16. An experimental apartment building. 


17. The Baku Olympic Centre 

18. The Heydar Aliyev Palace 

Undeniably, the mega architectural 

project of this era (1955-1991) 

was the construction of the Baku 

Metro, a fast public transport system 

connecting the peripheries with the 

city centre. It has been a developing 

construction project spanning the 

last 54 years. The station designs 

were used for glorifying the Soviet 

power and socialist achievements of 

the Azerbaijan SSR. Having initially 

been inaugurated with five metro 

stations along a line of 9.2 kilometres 

in 1967, it now has 26 stations 

stretching over 38 kilometres in every 

direction of Baku. The Nizami 

and Elmler Akademiyasi metro stations 

are great artworks combining 

socialism with Azerbaijani culture. 

Baku also underwent massive 

gentrification during this era under 

the leadership of the mayor, 

Alish Lambaranski. The Seaside 

Boulevard was redeveloped and 

extended to become an egalitarian 

public site for cultured leisure. 

Various facilities such as the Puppet 

Theatre, a summer cinema, a chess 

club, Little Venice (a replica of 

Venice as a recreational site), Swans 

Fountain and teahouses such as the 

Pearl cafe offered more democratic 

access to the city’s iconic landmarks. 

The square called “Parapet,” later 

redeveloped into today’s Fountains 

Square, and Molokan Garden had 

fountains built with aesthetically 

sculpted “Three Graces.” 



19. The Nizami Museum of Literature. 

Photo: Tom Marsden 

Legacy 

All these added layers enriched the city's 

image during the tempestuous history 

of Soviet architecture in Baku. Although 

short-lived, lasting for about 70 years, the 

era left a diverse, elaborate and admirable 

heritage which, although it may contain 

radical and non-traditional features, certainly 

adds value, and blends in very well, 

to the architectural evolution of Baku. 

Gani Nasirov 

is a professional tour guide 

based in Baku with a passion 

for uncovering Azerbaijan’s architecture, 

history, culture and legends. 



A Journey through 

Azerbaijani Cinema 

by Fidan Gabulova 

Art is an important part of our life. Whether it's music, fine art, fashion 

or cinema, each of these fields always provides so many opportunities for 

self-expression, self-understanding, and the discovery of something new. 

Azerbaijan is a culturally rich country in many aspects related to art, 

and cinema is not an exception, of course! 

The history of Azerbaijani cinema 

dates back to the end of the 19th century. 

During all this time, many iconic 

movies have been filmed, which are 

still watched and loved very much. 

They were filmed in many beautiful 

places: from the cozy streets of the 

Old City in Baku, to the picturesque 

forests of Gakh. Therefore, fasten 

your seat belts, we will now dive into 

a movie journey through beautiful 

corners of Azerbaijan. 

First of all, of course, we will look 

into the Old City, the heart of Baku. 

You can talk about this place endlessly. 

It seems that every metre of the 

Old City is full of historical events; 

everything here breathes antiquity. 

Amazing cinematography, local 

flavours and an indescribable atmosphere 

are hallmarks of this place. 

1-2. Scenes from The Island Within 

3. Filming of Pomegranate Orchard 



THE CLOTH PEDDLER 

Here, on these streets, one of 

the most iconic and legendary 

Azerbaijani films, Arşın mal alan 

(The Cloth Peddler, 1945), directed 

by Rza Tahmasib, was filmed. 

The plot tells us about a rich 

young man named Asker. One 

day, he decides to get married. 

However, according to Eastern 

rules, he cannot see his wife's face 

before the wedding. But soon he 

finds a solution to this problem. On 

the advice of his friend Suleiman, 

Asker disguises himself as a street 

vendor of fabrics, an arshinmalchi. 

By selling goods, these vendors 

can enter houses where the women 

and girls choosing their fabrics 

don’t cover their faces. Now Asker 

can go into any yard and choose a 

bride. The film has a lot of entertaining 

moments, songs, humour, 

and most importantly – everything 

ends well for our heroes! 

This musical comedy, based on 

the operetta of the same name 

by Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir 

Hajibeyli, has been watched in 

136 countries and dubbed into 86 

languages, including Chinese. 

Also, the black-and-white version 

of this film has been restored and 

can now be viewed in colour. 

But of course, this is not the 

only movie that was filmed in the 

Old City. For example, Amphibian 

Man and The Diamond Arm are cult 

Soviet films in which you can see 

the streets well known to us. The 

amazing energy of this place will 

stay with you for a long time and 

attract you back to the Old City 

again and again. 

You can enjoy this movie with 

English subtitles here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxhmZrwuaf8 

STEPMOTHER 

Next, we stop at a wonderful place 

called Galajig, a village in Ismayilli 

which is one of the most beautiful corners 

of Azerbaijan. The cult Azerbaijani 

movie Ögey ana (Stepmother, 1958) was 

filmed here. The director of this movie 

is Habib Ismailov, who made a great 

contribution to the development of our 

national cinema. 

The story is about a young family 

and the relationship of a boy named 

Ismail with his stepmother Dilara, and 

her desire to win the boy’s love and 

trust despite his distrust of her. Little 

Ismail doesn’t want to accept a new 

mother and tries in every way to spoil 

his father's relationship with her. A real 

drama unfolds but in the end Dilara 

manages to establish a relationship 

with her stepson. Ismail's opinion of 

his stepmother begins to change after 

he witnesses her save the life of a 

seriously ill person. He secretly does his 

homework and gradually gets used to 

his new "mum." The topic, which is still 

relevant today, is mixed with modern 

and traditional Azerbaijani views on life 

in this film. 

The film was even translated into 

Russian! You can watch it here: 

www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=RdHcl4d2Vzg 



KOROGLU 

Our third stop is Karabakh, the village 

named Askeran. The first Azerbaijani 

colour movie Koroglu (1960), directed by 

Husein Seidzade, was partially filmed 

here. It was a significant event for the 

development of Azerbaijani cinematography 

of that time. The film’s plot is 

borrowed from the folk epic Koroglu, in 

which there is a struggle against foreign 

invaders and local oppressors. Koroglu 

is a hero who symbolises dignity and 

love of freedom and inspires the people 

to fight against oppression, for justice. 

Did he exist in reality? Supposedly, 

Koroglu is a real historical character, a 

hero who fought for the happiness of the 

people, and at the same time a talented 

ashug, the author of many beautiful 

poems. The dates of Koroglu’s birth 

and death are not known for certain. 

Presumably, he lived around the second 

half of the 16th century. 

The filming took place in several 

places: Zagatala, Gakh, Balaken, 

Kalbajar and places near Lake Goygol. 

But some of the most significant moments: 

the scene of Koroglu’s wedding, 

the stealing of Kyrat (Koroglu's horse), 

as well as a number of episodes relating 

to the struggle of the Azerbaijani people 

led by Koroglu against invaders, were 

filmed here, in the Askeran Fortress, 

which is located on the southern outskirts 

of the settlement of Askeran in 

Karabakh. More than 1,200 people took 

part in these scenes. That's the scale! 

Panakhali Khan built the Askeran 

Fortress in the 18th century on the 

eastern border of his khanate to protect 

the approaches to Shusha, the capital. 

It was the eastern gate of the Karabakh 

Khanate. To this day, its protective 

walls, entrance and towers stretching 

along a mountain slope have been preserved 

quite well. 

DON'T BE AFRAID, I'M WITH YOU! 

Next, we head to Gakh, Ilisu village. 

The famous movie Qorxma, mən 

səninləyəm! (Don't Be Afraid, I'm with 

You!, 1981), directed by Yuli Gusman, 

was filmed here. The movie is about a 

circus performer who suddenly receives 

news that his grandmother is seriously 

ill. Despite the fact a vendetta awaits 

him in his homeland, he decides to go. 

The circus performer's partner, worried 

about his friend, goes there with him. 

The major part of the movie was 

filmed at the Sumug-gala fortress, 

which is located in Ilisu. Sumug-gala 

is a valuable historical monument. 

There are still many legends about the 

fortress; it is only known for certain that 

it belongs to the 17-18th centuries. 

From the fortress’s windows there is 

a beautiful view of Ilisu village, flowing 

rivers and centuries-old dense forests 

that cover the mountains. In general, 

Sumug-gala makes an incredible 

impression, because you can feel the 

breath of antiquity in it, especially 

when you touch the tower’s long-standing 

walls. 

You can watch this movie with 

English subtitles here: https:// 

sovietmoviesonline.com/comedy/ 

ne-boysya-ya-s-toboy 

This movie has also been translated 

into Russian: www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=phIdRglmAss 



POMEGRANATE ORCHARD 

Azerbaijani cinema continues to develop 

to this day. One of its modern examples 

is the movie Nar bağı (Pomegranate 

Orchard, 2017), directed by Ilgar Najaf. 

The script was inspired by Anton 

Chekhov's Cherry Orchard. 

In it, the main character Gabil returns 

to his home after a 12-year absence. 

His family still lives in their house, next 

to which is a wonderful pomegranate 

garden. But will Gabil be able to regain 

his former happiness if he himself has 

changed a lot over the years, and his 

relatives have also become completely 

different people? We’ll see. 

The movie was filmed in Goychay, 

and for a reason: Goychay is the “pomegranate 

capital” of Azerbaijan. Every 

year, at the end of October, after the 

harvest, a Pomegranate Festival is celebrated 

here! At the end of last year, this 

festival was included in the UNESCO 

Cultural Heritage List. 

At the Pomegranate Festival, which 

lasts for several days, you can taste 

different varieties of pomegranate, 

juice, jam and other goodies made 

from this fruit. Not only tourists but 

also many people from other regions 

of Azerbaijan come to Goychay for the 

festival. The main centre of events is 

the central square, where a large fair 

unfolds. Artists and athletes perform in 

the Heydar Aliyev Park, various competitions 

are held, and in the evening a 

concert and fireworks await all guests. 

I think it's worth visiting this festival at 

least once in your life! 

THE ISLAND WITHIN 

Another great example of modern 

cinema is the movie Daxildəki ada (The 

Island Within, 2020), directed by Rufat 

Hasanov. This movie won the "Heart 

of Sarajevo" Award for Best Director's 

Work at the Sarajevo International Film 

Festival. It’s always very pleasing when 

the talent of local artists reaches the 

world level. 

The plot is about a chess player 

named Seymour, an international chess 

grandmaster who wins the Candidates 

Tournament and gets the right to take 

on the current world chess champion. 

A few weeks before his World Chess 

Championship match, Seymour's psychological 

and emotional state worsens 

due to the increasing pressure and he 

runs away to an Island where only one 

person lives. The filming takes place on 

an island called Kur Dili, which is our 

next destination. 

Kur Dili is an island in the Caspian 

Sea and the largest island in Azerbaijan. 

Previously, Kur Dili was a peninsula, 

but in the 20th century, with the rise of 

the waters of the Caspian Sea, the peninsula 

turned into an island. By 1982, 

it had become impossible to reach its 

villages by land. For this reason, many 

people began to leave and now almost 

no one lives there. Since 1929, the Gizil 

Aghaj nature reserve (now a national 

park) has been located here, which was 

the first nature reserve to be established 

in Azerbaijan. Most of the birds listed in 

the Red Book of Azerbaijan live on its 

territory and in bordering areas. 

Unfortunately, this movie is not available 

for viewing yet, but let’s hope we’ll 

be able to see it soon! 

With that, our journey comes to an 

end. Of course, this is only a small part 

of all the wonderful movies that have 

been filmed in Azerbaijan, but I think 

it’s a great start to get acquainted with 

Azerbaijani cinema and different corners 

of our beautiful country. 

Enjoy! 



THE 

MARIONETTE 

THEATRE 

A HIDDEN GEM OF 

ICHERISHEHER 

The actors 

and the puppets 

are a true joy 

to watch 

BY ZEYNAB JAHAN 

Our city is full of mysteries and pleasant discoveries. For me the 

true gem is the Baku Marionette Theatre. Although it turned five 

at the end of last year, I still meet people who are just about to see 

their first play there, or even those who haven’t heard of it at all. 

And then I get the opportunity to introduce them to this theatre for 

the first time. 

History 

In fact, the Marionette Theatre has come 

a long way to where it is right now. It 

all started with a young stage director, 

Tarlan Gorchu, who began to turn his 

dream of creating a little magic puppet 

world into reality in the 1980s. It was 

founded in a painstaking process in 1988 

under the Union of Theatre Workers of 

Azerbaijan. The first play was based on 

the Arshin Mal Alan (The Cloth Peddler) 

operetta by Uzeyir Hajibeyli. And already 

by 1990, the theatre’s troupe headed 

on tour to France, to be overwhelmed 

with the public’s sympathy at the end of 

the performance. “Those puppets are 

able to do anything!”, “Two more evenings 

of pleasure!” – the reviews of the 

French press were filled with enthusiastic 

headlines, and the troupe had to stay 

longer to perform more plays. 

After a certain time, however, the 

theatre had to keep its magic dolls behind 

the scenes, due to the uncertainty 

of the early 1990s. A new life for it 

came following the initiative and overwhelming 

support of the First Vice- 

President of Azerbaijan, UNESCO and 

ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Mehriban 

Aliyeva. It has since become an integral 

part of the Icherisheher State Historical 

and Architectural Reserve, under whose 

auspices the theatre successfully operates 

nowadays. The opening took place 

in 2016 and over the last few years the 

puppets, decorations, mugham opera 

song records, costumes, and most importantly, 

love and passion for this unique 

art have been saved and cherished. 


1. Actors during the Leyli and Majnun play. Photo: Eva Abilova 


Location 

The theatre is located within the Old City 

(Icherisheher) – a unique fortress of the 

Middle Ages. Icherisheher is the cultural 

and historical heart of the capital, as 

well as Azerbaijan as a whole. The building 

where the theatre is located today 

was built in 1880 in the style of neoclassicism. 

Then, it belonged to a noble merchant 

family, the Salimkhanovs. During 

the Soviet era, it was nationalised 

and became part of the city’s housing 

stock, but after a massive fire it became 

dilapidated. 

In 1986, the city authorities arranged 

to reconstruct it to house the Marionette 

Theatre. But the regular financial difficulties 

of the period of stagnation following 

the post-Soviet transition left 

little opportunity for the idea of a new 

theatre to become a reality. Everything 

changed when the theatre was given 

a new lease of life. The administration 

of the Icherisheher State Historical and 

Architectural Reserve finished the restoration 

works, and today it is one of the 

coziest places in the city – nestled in 

a quiet part of the Old City, behind the 

little green doors of number 20, Muslim 

Magomaev Street. 

Performances 

Tarlan Gorchu, the theatre’s art manager 

and director, made it his mission to popularise 

the creative heritage of Uzeyir 

Hajibeyli – a great Azerbaijani composer 

and founder of the national school of 

composers. The theatre's repertoire includes 

two performances based on his 

works – Arshin Mal Alan and Leyli and 

Majnun. 

Arshin Mal Alan is a classic puppet production, 

assembled from hundreds of 

small details, with the most beautiful 

puppet scenes, a cheerful and witty plot 

and full of comic set-ups. In this classic 

production, you’ll find delicate, insightful 

reflections delivered by actors to develop 

the plot between the scenes. The 

rest of the time, the puppets are the only 

heroes on stage. The Leyli and Majnun 

play, on the other hand, is a completely 

different story. Its creation was dedicated 

to the theatre’s renaissance in 2016 

and took three years to prepare. 

The technology behind a puppet show 

is a time and labour consuming process. 

A large international team of woodcarvers, 

mechanics, artists who paint and 

decorate the dolls, masters of costume 

embellishments and decorations from 

Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Baltics 

worked on the development of Leyli and 

Majnun. At long last, we have a very 

emotional tale of this legendary love 

story by Fuzuli performed in an unusual, 

contemporary way. The actors and the 

puppets are a true joy to watch. They 

are inseparable – they complete one another, 

and there's not much you can do 

but take them as a whole and surrender 

yourself to the music. 

2. The main entrance. Photo: Shutterstock/Alizada Studios 

3. The Leyli and Majnun puppets. Photo: Eva Abilova 

4. Marionette Theatre actors after a play. Photo: Adil Yusifov 



The theatre today 

is like a small, 

friendly family, 

celebrating the 

traditions of 

the old school 

and creating 

new ones, where 

parents and 

children share 

the stage 

People and puppets 

Meeting the author Tarlan Gorchu before 

or after the performance is another part 

of the experience the theatre can offer. 

He meets his guests quite often, shares 

theatrical stories and listens to their impressions 

with an open heart. His puppet 

story is special: it started back in 1985 

and was accompanied by coincidences, 

fateful encounters and great luck. 

Inspired by Rezo Gabriadze’s Theatre in 

Tbilisi (Gabriadze later became his good 

friend), Gorchu returned to Baku and 

created his own play in a small workshop 

with his friends and colleagues. 

It was the enthusiasm of Gorchu, and 

those who supported him and the performance 

itself, that made it possible to preserve 

the production through decades. 

Fortunately, once he was able to show 

his marionettes to Mehriban Aliyeva and 

her guests during the Mugham Festival 

Days. It is thanks to her that the theatre 

found a permanent home, where the 

second generation of actors are proudly 

performing. 

The theatre today is like a small, 

friendly family, celebrating the traditions 

of the old school and creating new 

ones, where parents and children share 

the stage during the plays. Each actor 

brings something to contribute to the 

development of a unique puppet culture 

in our country. Every puppet is a piece 

of art. 

International success 

As mentioned earlier, the theatre 

troupe had their first foreign trip back 

in the 1980s to France, and then to 

other countries. They dazzled Poland, 

Russia, Germany and Switzerland. 

After a 30-year break, they headed 

to France once again, to the beautiful 

region of Ardennes to mark their renaissance. 

Puppets from all over the 

world gather in the city of Charleville- 

Mézières thanks to the enthusiasm of 

Jacques Felix, a puppeteer and founder 

of the International Puppet Institute. 

Founded in 1961, the city’s World 

Festival of Puppet Theatres has made it 

recognised as the world capital of puppetry 

art. 

During the 10 days of this biannual 

festival the city lives the marionette 

dream. The halls, gyms, streets and 

courtyards of the city become stages 

for spectacles and performances in 

different languages. Locals work voluntarily 

for visiting theatre troupes, 

as they did for the Baku Marionette 

Theatre in 2019. Having performed four 

5 Tarlan Gorchu, the theatre's director. 

Photo: Adil Yusifov. 

6. Actor with puppets during the 

Leyli and Majnun play. 

Photo: Eva Abilova 

7-8. Extracts from Vaucluse Dimanche, 

August 1990 

plays in two days, Leyli and Majnun became 

one of the absolute favourites of 

the Charleville-Mézières festival, distinguished 

by the director of the festival, 

the mayor of the city, but most of 

all – by the true connoisseurs gathered 

in the French Ardennes for such a peculiar 

form of art. There and then, the 

Leyli and Majnun performance became a 

success all across Europe. 

In the world of the internet, 3D cinemas, 

virtual and alternative reality and 

other scientific advancements, there 

are still small, hidden worlds of theatre. 

Such is the Marionette Theatre. Isn’t it 

wonderful! 

Zeynab Jahan 

is PR Manager at the State 

Administration of the Icherisheher 

Historical and Architectural Reserve as 

well as a freelance writer. 

She also enjoys reading books, 

photography, art history 

and exploring cities. 



A HISTORY OF THE 

OIL 

INDUSTRY 

Historical researcher Vahid Shukurov 

outlines the origins and achievements 

of Azerbaijan’s world-famous oil industry. 

BLACK GOLD – ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT 

AND VALUABLE NATURAL RESOURCES. EVERYONE 

KNOWS OIL’S ROLE IN THE MODERN WORLD. ITS 

EXTRACTION AND USE AS FAR BACK AS THE 5-6TH 

MILLENNIUM BC HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND 

PROVEN BY MANY ARCHAEOLOGISTS. 

OIL IS A MINERAL, AN OILY LIQUID, A FLAMMABLE 

SUBSTANCE, OFTEN BLACK IN COLOUR. FROM 

A CHEMICAL POINT OF VIEW, IT’S A COMPLEX 

MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS WITH VARIOUS 

COMPOUNDS, SUCH AS SULPHUR, NITROGEN AND 

OTHERS. ITS FORMATION IS AN EXTREMELY LONG 

PROCESS TAKING PLACE IN SEVERAL STAGES OVER 

50-350 MILLION YEARS, ACCORDING TO SOME 

ESTIMATES. 

1. Oil Rocks, a city on the sea 

52 



OIL ORIGINS 

Azerbaijan, in particular the 

Absheron Peninsula, is world-famous 

for its vast oil deposits. 

Even in the first centuries of our 

era, the local population understood 

the value of this resource 

and the various ways of using it. 

In the 8th century, the geographer 

Ibn Bekran wrote of how oil here was 

purified of its bad smell and rendered 

suitable for treatment. In 1264 the 

Venetian traveller Marco Polo witnessed 

large pools filled with enough 

oil to fill one hundred ships when 

he travelled through Baku to Persia. 

The Arab geographer Abd ar-Rashid 

al-Bakuvi (14th-15th centuries) 

noted that a caravan formed of over 

200 camels departed from Baku every 

day, each camel carrying about 300kg 

of oil. According to Persian historian 

and geographer Hamdallah Qazvini 

(14th century), in order to extract oil, 

wells were filled with water; the oil 

floated up and was collected in bags 

made of sealskin. Such bags, wrote 

Muhammad Mumin (1669), were also 

used for storing and transporting oil. 

In 1683 German traveller and scientist 

Engelbert Kempfer visited oil 

fields in the Absheron settlements 

of Balakhani, Ramani, Binagadi and 

Surakhani during a visit to Azerbaijan 

as a secretary of the Swedish 

Embassy, and according to him, oil 

was exported from here on pack animals, 

carts and camels to Baku and 

onwards by sea to Iran, Central Asia 

and the North Caucasus. 

WELL-KNOWN WELLS 

The world's first mechanically drilled 

well for oil production was launched 

in 1846 in the village of Bibi-Heybat. 

This well was for exploration purposes 

and its depth was only 21 metres, 

yet it had a tremendous impact on 

Azerbaijan’s oil history. Today the 

well is located on the Baku Boulevard 

and has been restored as a tourist 

attraction. 

But that is far from the only unique 

well in Azerbaijan, where almost every 

oil field has famous ones. In the 

Absheron village of Balakhani there 

are many ancient wells dating back 

several centuries. Some are quite deep 

and covered with wood, and among 

them is a mechanically drilled well 

dating to 1871 that produced about 70 

barrels (10 tonnes) of oil per day. This 

can be considered the moment the 

rapid growth of Azerbaijan’s oil industry 

began. In 1899 Azerbaijan became 

the world’s biggest producer and refiner 

of oil in the world, accounting for 

half of global oil extraction. 

No less interesting is well number 

5 in Bibi-Heybat, the first well in the 

world to be drilled on land reclaimed 

from the sea. Following its launch on 

18 April 1923, the 82.5 metre deep well 

aroused great interest at international 

oil conferences. 

Well number 45 in Lokbatan also 

deserves special attention, as it was 

drilled on a mud volcano. Its successful 

launch in 1933 proved a theory put 

forward by the outstanding scientist I. 

Gubkin that mud volcanoes are a kind 

of "beacon" indicating the presence 

of industrial reserves of oil and natural 

gas. A grand fountain gushed up 

to 20,000 tonnes of oil from the well 

per day! According to old residents, 

"a huge river of oil flowed towards the 

sea." 

The second deepest well in the 

USSR was also drilled in Azerbaijan. 

This is the Saatli well, named after its 

location near the city of Saatli. Its intended 

depth was 15 kilometres when 

drilling began in 1977 but for technical 

reasons drilling stopped in 1982 

at a depth of 8,324 metres. The well 

was intended to clarify the possibility 

of discovering oil and gas deposits at 

great depths. 

4. The world's first mechanically drilled oil 

well in Baku 

The centuries passed and the methods 

of oil production changed. In the 

field of oil production, Azerbaijan 

compiled a huge list of achievements. 

These are some of the most interesting 

pages: 

2. An old view of oil derricks near Baku. 

Photo: Shutterstock/artnana 

3. An oil rig in the Caspian. 

Photo: Shutterstock/Orkhan Aslanov 



SURAKHANI’S WHITE OIL 

In addition to the usual, widely known 

black oil, Azerbaijan also possesses 

a special kind of white oil. On the 

Absheron Peninsula, deposits of this 

unique natural wealth can be found 

in the village of Surakhani. The Arab 

scientist and traveller Abul-Hasan 

Masudi, visiting Baku in the 10th century, 

noted that several types of oil 

were produced in Baku – white, yellow 

and black, which were exported in 

leather bags by camel to Persia, India, 

Syria and other countries. At the end 

of the 17th century, Ottoman traveller 

Evliya Chelebi, having observed the 

oil production in Baku, wrote: "The 

Baku fortress is surrounded by 500 

wells, from which oil of white and 

black colour was extracted." 

The first scientific description 

of white oil was given by one of 

the founders of oil production on 

the Absheron Peninsula, Nikolay 

Voskoboynikov. As is widely known, 

the main pigmenting components of 

oil are resins and asphalt substances. 

Depending on their content, oil is 

coloured brown, red-brown or black. 

Less commonly, light brown, reddish 

or yellow oils are encountered, and 

a very rare exception is a colourless, 

like water, white oil. It is very similar 

in structure to regular oil, the difference 

lying in the absence of resins and 

asphaltenes. 

Large-scale production of 

Surakhani’s white oil began in 1939- 

1942, led by Sabit Orujov, who went 

on to become a corresponding member 

of the Academy of Sciences of the 

Azerbaijan SSR and Minister of the 

Gas Industry of the USSR from 1972 

to 1981. 

Today, some unique wells have been 

preserved in Surakhani, one of which 

yielded 35 tonnes of white oil from a 

depth of 209 metres in January 1904. 

Interestingly, Surakhani’s white oil is 

famous for its very high gasoline yield 

and, according to elderly residents 

of this area, during World War II cars 

would drive right up to the Surakhani 

wells to refuel with oil directly from 

the well! 

5. One of Azerbaijan's 350-odd 

mud volcanoes. 

Photo: Shutterstock/In Green 

6-7. The Nobel Brothers House Museum 

NOBEL BROTHERS 

Among the many entrepreneurs who 

made their fortunes from Baku’s oil 

were the Nobel brothers, who arrived 

in the city in 1878 and achieved a lot. 

They purchased the first oil-bearing 

plot of land in Balakhani, as well 

as a kerosene plant in the Black City 

(where the oil refineries were historically 

located). They created the 

first oil pipeline in Baku between 

Balakhani and the former Black 

City, launched the first oil tanker, 

named Zoroaster, in the Caspian Sea. 

Therefore, Baku oil is certain to have 

played an exceptional role in financing 

the Nobel Prize. 

Among the large architectural heritage 

left in Baku by the Nobel brothers, 

one of the highlights is Villa 

Petrolea, their former residence built 

in 1882-1884, which since 2008 has 

functioned as the Nobel Brothers 

House Museum. This is the first museum 

of the Nobel family outside of 

Sweden, in which household items 

used by the family are collected. 



OIL ROCKS 

A separate fascinating page in Azerbaijan’s oil history 

is the unique settlement of Oil Rocks in the 

Caspian Sea. The name "Oil Rocks" has a historical 

meaning – long before the discovery of this offshore 

oil field, scientists had noticed black rocks 

covered with a film of oil in the Caspian Sea. The 

first oil workers landed on them on 14 November 

1948, led by Nikolay Baibakov. Following this, 

seven decommissioned ships were sunk to create 

artificial islands to accommodate oil workers and 

carry out drilling operations. 

The industrial development of Oil Rocks began 

in 1951, and in 1952 a network of flyovers began to 

be constructed to connect the artificial islands. Oil 

Rocks subsequently entered the Guinness Book 

of Records as the world’s first offshore platform. 

A full cycle of operations takes place here, from 

prospecting for oil and gas to the delivery of finished 

products. And even today there is nothing 

like this platform city in the world; therefore, Oil 

Rocks is sometimes called the “eighth wonder of 

the world.” Today about 4,000 people work at the 

site, some living there and others working on a 

shift basis. Seventy per cent of the annual oil and 

gas production of SOCAR (the State Oil Company 

of the Azerbaijan Republic) is transported to the 

shore from Oil Rocks. 

CONTRACT 

OF THE CENTURY 

ARCHITECTURAL 

HERITAGE 

The millionaires of the Oil Boom period 

(late 19th, early 20th centuries) 

left a vast architectural heritage in 

Baku. Among the many masterpieces, 

several should be highlighted. 

The Palace of Happiness was built 

by Murtuza Mukhtarov as a gift for 

his wife Liza. The story goes that, after 

their wedding, they went on a tour 

of Europe, which left many impressions. 

But all of them were eclipsed 

by one beautiful building that Liza 

had admired. Upon returning to Baku, 

Mukhtarov secretly ordered the Polish 

architect Jozef Ploszko to design a 

similar palace in the Venetian style. 

The building was completed in record 

time – one year – and Liza could not 

believe her eyes when in 1912 she 

was presented with a stunning Italian 

palazzo by her husband. Nowadays, 

weddings take place in the palace and 

it’s curious that couples who get married 

here, according to statistics, have 

the lowest divorce rate. 

The Ismailiyya Palace, meanwhile, 

was built by Musa Naghiyev in memory 

of his son Ismail after he died 

young of tuberculosis. The building, 

which now houses the presidium of 

the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, 

was also designed by Jozef Ploszko 

in the style of a Venetian palazzo. 

Construction was completed in 1913, 

after which the palace’s spacious 

white-stone assembly hall played 

host to meetings of members of the local 

Muslim Charitable Society, Muslim 

women, Baku’s intelligentsia, and 

congresses of religious leaders. 

Another important architectural 

monument of the Oil Boom is the former 

house of Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, 

now the National History Museum 

of Azerbaijan. Various architectural 

styles were used in the construction 

of this mansion, which has an Italian 

Renaissance facade. The building was 

completed in 1901 and consists of nine 

rooms, some of which have been left 

as a house museum of Taghiyev, who 

lived here with his family for 18 years. 

After Azerbaijan became part of the 

USSR on 28 April 1920, the house was 

confiscated and the famous philanthropist 

had to spend his last years 

at his country house in the village of 

Mardakan. 

8. The Palace of Happiness. Photo: Shutterstock/Alizada Studios 

9. The National History Museum, former residence of Taghiyev 

10. The Ismailiyya Palace. Photo: Shutterstock 

11. Oil derricks, early morning, near Baku. Photo: Shutterstock/Elnur 

There is one final important page to touch on: 

the Contract of the Century. This crucial milestone 

in Azerbaijan’s oil history was signed on 20 

September 1994 under the leadership of national 

leader Heydar Aliyev and is one of the most important 

contracts in the history of Azerbaijan in 

the 20th century in terms of its political, economic 

and strategic significance. The contract concerned 

the joint development of the Azeri, Chirag and part 

of the Guneshli oil fields in the Azerbaijani sector 

of the Caspian Sea, and shared production from 

them. Eleven international companies from seven 

countries participated in the contract, which was 

worth $7.4 billion. Its signing and subsequent implementation 

is a testament to the country’s correct 

oil strategy and paved the way for many new 

achievements in Azerbaijan’s oil industry. 

Vahid Shukurov 

is a cultural tourism product development specialist 

at the Reserve Management Centre 

of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, 

as well as a researcher of Azerbaijan’s history. 



Agritourism 

in North-west 


by KELLY CHAIB DE MARES 

In the Ganikh-Ayrichay valley, on the Greater Caucasus Mountains' southern 

slopes, is a subtropical area with peaceful meadows, striking mountains and a 

dense forest that differs from other Azerbaijani regions. This territory is mainly 

used for agricultural development, such as sericulture, floriculture, sheep breeding, 

and tea, fruit and grain cultivation. And as in other countries, many farmers 

are taking advantage of the tourist flow brought by the picturesque nature to show 

off their products and supplement their incomes. 

In recent years, the Azerbaijani government has focused on developing tourism 

and has highlighted agritourism for its great potential. Since then, activities have 

been undertaken throughout the country at a regional and local level, through individual 

city administrations, entrepreneurs, tourism and agriculture stakeholders, 

and donor projects. The result has been particularly fantastic in Sheki, Gakh and 

Zagatala, the main north-west districts, offering visitors a close-up of traditional 

knowledge and sustainable livelihoods. 

SLOW FOOD IN AZERBAIJAN 

One of the most ambitious agritourism projects has brought Slow Food to Azerbaijan. 

The project, EU-funded and coordinated by Slow Food in partnership with the Azerbaijan 

Tourism Board, has managed to include a vast list of Azerbaijani products in need of 

protection in the Ark of Taste, an online catalogue of endangered heritage foods (see 

which at: www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/nazioni-arca/azerbaijan-en/). Meanwhile, 

to prevent their disappearance, sustain quality production and ensure availability at 

affordable prices and fair conditions for farmers, Slow Food Presidia are being set up 

(www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/nazioni-presidi/azerbaijan-en/). The project is in 

its early stages but soon it will be possible to visit the Presidia, meet local producers to 

learn about culinary traditions and try Ark of Taste products. 

Learn more at www.slowfood-covcheg.az 

1. Bees at Bal Evi. Photo: Togrul Farajov 



Farms to visit 

Bal Evi (Honey House) 

@apidelta.aridan 

Bio Garden 

@biogarden.az 

This successful family business was born in 2018 

as a farm-based agritourism experience. It is an 

eight-hectare garden where you can navigate 

between more than 4,000 trees, including 555 

different varieties of nuts, fruits, vegetables, and 

flowering plants from all around the world, and 

local gems like greengages and kumquat. This diversity 

ensures you’ll experience a harvest season, 

unless you come in March or April, when you can 

still enjoy the snow, the fish farm fountain and 

small farm animals. 

You can be sure you’ll have the most peaceful 

experience. Etibar Nuriyev has set some rules to 

make it possible: cars and music are not allowed, 

drinking and smoking are forbidden. He is the brain 

behind the project and the person in charge of the 

eco-farm, all of whose products are cultivated 

with the latest technology, respecting nature and 

biodiversity. 

You’ll have a two-hour guided tour for a set 

fee, designed and managed by Etibar’s daughters 

Ilaha and Pervane. With the support of local 

volunteers, these sisters cover excursions in three 

different languages: Azerbaijani, Russian and 

English. During the tour, you’ll learn about the 

crops, including both common cultivars and weird 

ones like a giant local lemon, and pick some fruits 

and vegetables. At the end you’ll stop by the shop 

where you can buy seasonal products, plus other 

goods such as jams and vinegar. 

The complex also has a restaurant 

with foods as local and seasonal as 

you can find. Sevil, Etibar's wife, is 

responsible for developing the farm-totable 

concept in its purest, most honest 

form, offering meals prepared with Bio 

Garden products. The eatery is open and 

fully operating during the high season 

(May-September); it only serves tourist 

groups based on advance bookings 

during the other months. 

Bal Evi, meaning Honey House, is an 

eight-hectare complex full of colourful 

beehives which produces organic honey, 

royal jelly, medicinal propolis, pollen, 

and skincare cream, all bound for the 

local market under the brand Bal Evi. 

The place is also the regional 

leader in preserving the ancient wild 

beekeeping tradition known as tekne, 

a hollow wooden log hive method of 

producing Caucasian mountain honey. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to try the 

dark and dense tekne honey before it 

disappears due to its less productive 

and more expensive production process, 

and its stronger flavour compared to 

honey produced with modern frame 

hives. 

The colourful complex is the result of 

30 years’ work by Beddradin Gasratob, 

who transmits his knowledge to his 

children and young people from the 

region interested in keeping traditions 

going. Beddradin's pedagogical 

vocation has turned the place into a 

learning centre and, besides the regular 

tour, masterclasses, cooking lessons 

and seminars on specific aspects of 

apiculture are offered. 

For those just interested in the 

beekeeping basics, a specialist leads 

entertaining and educational tours 

during which you’ll learn about the 

diverse bee species and variety of 

equipment used in the profession, 

experience all the processes, from 

opening the box to extracting the 

honey, and try more than 10 different 

honey products. In addition, you’ll have 

access to the open-air museum deep 

in the forest which is dedicated to the 

region's beekeeping history, and have 

the opportunity to buy a wide variety of 

products. If you visit in summer, most 

probably you’ll end up at a tea party 

with traditional dance music. 

2-3. Photos: Togrul Farajov 

+99450 264 9990 

Open May-September 9am-10pm; 

9am-6pm in other months 

Location: Oryet village, Sheki region 

4-5. Photos: Togrul Farajov 

+99455 610 0034 / +99470 640 0034 

Open June-August 9am-12pm; 

9am until sunset in other months 

Location: Lekit village, Gakh region 



Zagatala Tea 

@zaqatala_cayi 

Hope Lake 

@hopelake_ 

Taking full advantage of the region’s stunning 

mountain scenery and wealth of water, in addition 

to its romantic landscape Hope Lake offers a 

complete agritourism package: experiencing onfarm 

activities, dining where the food is produced, 

guesthouse stays in cosy cottages made of river 

stone, and buying farm-to-table ingredients branded 

Hope Lake, such as jams, homemade sausages, 

eggs, dairy products, honey, pickles, vinegar, 

molasses, and traditional compote, a non-alcoholic 

sweet beverage obtained by cooking fruit in a large 

volume of water. 

Seated in a small cabin by the tranquil lake, you 

can tuck into signature Azerbaijani north-western 

dishes or Georgian favourites among locals. You 

can find a great version of mahara pancakes and 

all the traditional dough-based foods cooked 

with dried meat, such as surhullu, gurze, girs and 

khengel. While it’s challenging to choose between 

all the delicious main dishes on the menu, I would 

go for bughlama, a lamb stew simmered along with 

fresh vegetables and herbs without adding liquid. 

Led by eco-friendly principles, the farm allows 

its guests to take part in rural life tasks like making 

cheese, milking cows, fishing, and taking care 

of chickens or goats. Since the business model is 

mainly focused on the restaurant, make sure you 

ask for the agri-tour to not miss this reconnecting 

with livestock opportunity. 

For many people, it’s a surprise to find tea 

plantations in north-west Azerbaijan since the 

majority of Azerbaijan’s tea production takes 

place in the south of the country. Still, Zagatala 

has a very well established and collaborative 

tea community that offers agritourism with 

the support of the city's Tourism Information 

Centre. 

Your visit will help to support production of 

a hand-picked organic product of the highest 

quality. The tour includes a tranquil walk 

around the 18-hectare plantation to learn how 

to cultivate the bushes and collect the tea 

leaves. The next stop is the factory to observe 

how the tea leaves are processed. And there is 

no better way to finish this excursion than with 

a cup of the finest black tea. 

Generally, the harvest season lasts from May 

until mid-September and the quality of tea depends 

on the gathering time. But if you aren’t 

able to make it on time, there is an official sales 

point in the city, and the Hazel coffee shop 

also offers their products, branded “Zaqatala 

Daglari,” meaning Zagatala Mountains. Look 

for tea flavoured with rose petals grown in the 

region. 

+99450 656 8184 / +99455 757 3370 

Open during the cultivation season (May until 

mid-September) but book tours in advance 

Location: Gazangul settlement, Zagatala 

region 

7. Photo: Shutterstock/Arif Alakbar 

8. Photo: David Blood 

+99451 656 3530 

Restaurant is open 9am-10pm and the guesthouse 24 hours 

Location: Gazangul settlement, Zagatala region 

9-10. Photo: David Blood 



Lecheq Farm & Distillery 

@lecheqfarmdistillery 

Formerly known as Zaqatala AzRose, this factory 

farm is located 383km away from Baku and only 

45km away from the Mazhimchay border checkpoint 

with Georgia, this successful distillery has 

operated since the 1950s. The enterprise annually 

produces more than one and a half tonnes of essential 

oils, extracted from 651 tonnes of flowers, to be 

exported to the perfumery, cosmetics, aromatherapy, 

pharmaceutical, and food industries. 

With an appointment, you’ll be able to watch, 

smell and participate in the process of collecting 

the flowers. In May, you can experience the 

harvesting of tonnes of rose petals, with their 

characteristic citrusy scent, from 145 hectares. 

From June until September, you can stroll 

between 500,000 lavender bushes and enjoy their 

sweet fragrance, walk around two hectares of 

peppermint and visit the smaller-scale production 

of local wormwood used in traditional Azerbaijani 

medicine. 

A visit to the distillery follows the farm 

excursion. If you thought the crop fragrances were 

an excellent sensation, you’ll enter a paradise for 

noses while learning about the refining process. 

Finally, the company keeps some flowers for you to 

purchase at its retail sales point. 

+99455 214 4004 

Book tours in advance during the harvest season 

Location: Ashagi Tala village, Zagatala region 

KNOW 

BEFORE 

YOU GO 

Trip planning 

While it's generally not a 

problem to just show up at 

these places, it’s recommended 

to plan well before you go 

to ensure they are open and 

offering the full agritourism 

service. You can contact 

the regional Destination 

Management Organisation, 

located in the historical city of 

Sheki (sheki@tourism.gov.az; 

+99424 244 6095), who will be 

as helpful as you need, from 

providing general information 

on their jurisdiction, to 

designing the most convenient 

north-west routes, and even 

making arrangements with the 

farmers on your behalf. 

When to go 

Azerbaijan has a long good 

weather season, with warm 

weather from May to October. 

Though festivals and cultural 

events only happen during this 

high season, most places are 

in operation all year round. In 

fact, off-season visitors are 

usually rewarded with extra 

hospitality. 

11-13. Photos: David Blood 



Other experiences 

Browse bazaars 

At fresh city markets you can buy food 

directly from growers. Sheki's Teze 

Bazaar in particular is worth a visit, as 

you’ll find Slow Food Ark of Taste products, 

gulab (rose water), and a massive 

selection of local and seasonal produce 

in this lively place. 

Attend festivals 

Food festivals are another way to access 

farm products, witness how locals use 

them in their cuisine and celebrate the 

harvest season with the community. 

Zagatala being the "hazelnut capital 

of Azerbaijan," it’s not surprising that 

the city hosts an annual nuts festival in 

autumn. In September, a honey fair also 

takes place in Gakh, demonstrating the 

resurgence of this craft after a deadly 

parasite devastated local state-managed 

apiaries in the early 1980s. 

Book a culture 

and cuisine tour 

Home Away Home (@homeawayhome_ 

org) is a pioneer in catering to travellers 

wishing to be absorbed into Azerbaijani 

culture as much as possible. You can 

join them for a pre-designed group tour, 

sign up for the regular cooking classes 

they advertise on social media or ask 

them to create a programme that fulfils 

your desires and budget. 

Founder Elshad Sparrow puts 

together itineraries allowing you to 

experience the region as the locals do. 

Besides visiting the usual sights, there 

are visits to hidden house museums, 

time shared with farmers at their 

homes, and handicrafts masterclasses. 

There is a strong focus on food: you’ll 

have the chance to buy organic products 

in fresh markets in addition to having 

homemade food at someone's house or, 

even better, cooking it yourself with 

professional assistance. From garden to 

table activities are also available. 

18. Gulab (rose water), 

a local product of Sheki. 

Photo: Elturan Mammadov 

19-20. A Hazel store in Zagatala 

Go nuts at Hazel 

The success of local chain Hazel (www. 

hazel.az; @hazel_azerbaijan) lies in 

its concept of concentrating essential 

Azerbaijani cultural facets all in one 

place. Having evolved from a dried fruit 

shop, Hazel now offers a modern take 

on the traditional teahouse, welcoming 

Azerbaijanis immersed in the new coffee 

wave as well. In addition, it offers 

a wide variety of chocolates, essential 

spices used in the local cuisine, and a 

selection of natural nut butter. There 

are two Hazel shops in Zagatala city: at 

199 H. Aliyev Avenue and 75 S. Kazimov 

Street. 

14. The Sheki bazaar 

Photo: Shutterstock/Alionabirukova 

15-17. Photos: David Blood 

Kelly Chaib De Mares 

is an amateur traveller and 

independent researcher 

of the Caucasus region. 



The Tar 

Strings at the Heart 

of Azerbaijan 

By Ian Peart 

and Saadat Ibrahimova 

“It was all too apparent how 

much skill and devotion went 

into converting a single piece of 

mulberry wood into the deep, 

hollow, figure-of-eight body 

To begin with, advice for anyone visiting 

Azerbaijan: follow your eyes, ears and 

nose; poke the latter into whatever 

seems unfamiliar, unlikely or interesting, 

you will probably enjoy the discoveries 

you make. Take this article as an 

example. 

Yes, I had seen and heard the tar in 

concerts, spoken to tarzans (the ones 

who play tar, not the ones swinging 

through jungles) but when a friend said 

he was on his way to meet tar maker 

Aslan, I knew I had to go with him – 

how do they make that thing? 

1. Tar and tar playing 

To the heart of the matter 

As with mugham, the traditional 

music in which the tar is usually 

prominent, it took my eyes and 

ears a while to get used to the 

instrument. There is surely at 

least an etymological connection 

with the guitar (in several Eastern 

languages tar = string) and, at first 

sight and sound, the tar appears 

less elegant and resonant than 

its seemingly more sophisticated 

Western relation. But you soon 

learn. 

Although I admit that as we 

walked into the maker’s workroom, 

my thoughts recalled first impressions. 

It was probably the raw meat 

floating in a small bucket of liquid 

by his chair that set them off. We 

waited a while as he carefully and 

repeatedly stretched a membrane 

over the carved figure-of-eight 

body of the current tar-in-making. 

A final tap of the fingers satisfied 

him that the sound board was producing 

the right tone, and I asked 

him about the membrane; what 

was it? He pointed to the bucket, 

“Cow’s heart” (to be precise, the 

pericardium). 

As we looked at parts in preparation 

and the row of finished 

instruments, it was all too 

apparent how much skill and 

devotion went into converting a 

single piece of mulberry wood into 

the deep, hollow, figure-of-eight 

body, finely polished, sometimes 

inlaid with mother-of-pearl and, 

of course, producing just the right 

tone and resonance. The long (up 

to 890mm) nut wood neck is bound 

by 22 catgut frets arranged to suit 

the pitch of local music produced 

by the 11 strings. 



2. Photo: Shutterstock/Retan 

3. A tar maker in Sheki. 

Photo: Elturan Mammadov 

4. Photo: Shutterstock/Retan 

“Since the fall of 

the Soviet Union 

and renewed 

independence 

for Azerbaijan, 

national music has 

experienced a revival 

and the tar thrives 

in its traditional 

mugham, but also in 

classical orchestras, 

jazz and even pop 

music 

More strings attached 

Mirza Sadig Asadoghlu (Sadigjan), 

from Shusha in Karabakh, was responsible 

for developing this Azerbaijani 

tar from the (then) five string Persian 

tar in the early 1870s. Uzeyir Hajibeyli 

and other composers went on to expand 

this tar’s range of performance, 

drafting it into opera and other forms of 

classical music. Its resilient popularity 

saw it survive Soviet attempts to 

suppress national cultures in the 1920s 

and 30s. It was reportedly removed 

from the curriculum of Azerbaijan’s 

conservatoire in 1929, with prominent 

Soviet loyalist poet Suleyman Rustam 

writing: 

Oxuma tar, Oxuma tar 

Don’t sing tar, Don’t sing tar 

Səni sevmir proletar 

The proletariat loves you not 

… and living on to a ripe old age. While 

the “chauvinist” poet Mikayil Mushfig 

wrote: 

Oxu, tar! 

Sing tar! 

Səni kim unudar? 

Who would forget you? 

… and was later executed aged 29 as an 

“enemy of the state.” 

Since the fall of the Soviet Union and 

renewed independence for Azerbaijan, 

national music has experienced 

a revival and the tar thrives in its 

traditional mugham, but also in 

classical orchestras, jazz and even pop 

music. 



From maestro to mirza 

The win in Samarkand led to many 

invitations to return to Uzbekistan for 

solo and orchestral concerts, and he has 

played in more than 10 Uzbek cities. 

The win also led to a concert and masterclass 

tour of Germany, Belgium and 

Holland. Just four of the many countries 

he’s played in. 

Recognition has come not only from 

abroad. Official prizes are gratifying, 

but acclaim from elders and peers at the 

cultural roots can be unique. He was 

made particularly proud then when, in 

2015, while playing in Baku’s Mugham 

Festival, he was contacted from 

Nardaran on the Absheron Peninsula. 

A settlement of just 8,000 souls, those 

souls, nevertheless, are well respected 

for their knowledge of national music, 

especially mugham. He was told: 

“You play all the masters, techniques 

and you are very young [34 then], how do 

you know all this that the masters know? 

We have decided to give you the title 

‘Mirza’ (a traditional term of respect for 

an educated person).” 

Remarkably, he was just the fifth 

tarzan to be awarded this honour by the 

elders of Nardaran; the second recipient 

was Sadigjan, the developer of the 

Azerbaijani tar already mentioned. Thus 

Mirza Sahib is the latest to join a short, 

but very distinguished, line. 

my teacher was from Shusha, and I 

believe they heard me. The acoustics were 

fantastic, in the mountains, with their 

echo. That was very interesting. Even the 

singers’ voices opened up there.” 

We had heard how he talks to his tar 

and, for Sahib, it is clearly more than 

just an instrument for producing pleasant 

sounds: 

“It is more than a material thing; it is 

my realisation; emotionally it has material 

meaning. With the tar I find myself. 

People can see me before the tar, but after 

hearing me with the tar, they can accept 

and understand who I am. That’s why it 

is everything for me. Before a concert, 

people can say hello, but after the concert 

they say, ‘What have you done!’ That is 

the tar for me… [but] I think I express 

more about Azerbaijan than about me, 

because I am Azerbaijani, playing an 

Azerbaijani instrument, and I express 

Azerbaijan’s traditions, Azerbaijan’s 

history, Azerbaijan’s character.” 

To watch Sahib in a concert of 

Azerbaijani symphonic music in 

Moscow (on the Mezzo channel), go to: 

https://is.gd/XQj4kI 

Playing solo (with naghara) at 

Womex 2021 in Porto: https://is.gd/ 

idRa9c 

And for variety, Ave Maria, with 

harpist Parvin Ashari: https://is.gd/ 

VE5G5P 

5-6. Sahib Pashazade 

Tarzan conquers Kazakhstan 

A week or two after meeting the tar 

maker, we serendipitously renewed 

acquaintance with someone else putting 

heart into the instrument, in that case 

by playing it at a book presentation. 

This was tarzan Sahib Pashazade, who 

we had interviewed years before at the 

glorious Gabala summer music festivals 

(www.gabalamusicfestival.com). It 

was time to catch up with a musician 

who has since captured hearts around 

Europe and Asia. 

As well as stories, look out for the connections 

across this country. It turned 

out that Sahib had studied together with 

Aslan and had some of his tars. And a 

connection with the tar he plays is vital, 

when choosing a tar: 

“First, I check the tar’s tone. At the same 

time checking there are no cracks in the 

wood. After that I look at the shape. And 

when I first play the tar, if the sound 

touches me then I can leave everything 

else aside and talk to it. I always talk to 

my tar, before a concert, I ask it not to fail 

me. After a concert, I thank it. After the 

concert in Samarkand, the naghara player 

saw me thanking God, and he asked me, 

‘What are you doing?’ But it’s a ritual for 

me. Then he understood, and said, ‘Ah, 

it’s sacred for you.’” 

That concert, in the mystical atmosphere 

of the Registan in Samarkand, 

was at the 2017 Music of the Orient 

festival at which Sahib was the first 

instrumental soloist winner of the Grand 

Prix. He did this by playing a Shur composition 

given to him by fellow tarzan 

Malik Mansurov, with the freedom to 

adapt it as he wished. 

Shur is one of the seven main modes 

of traditional mugham, which is typically 

played by a trio: tar, kamancha (a 

bowed string instrument resting on the 

thigh) and a singer (khanende) with a 

daf (a tambourine-like drum used for 

percussion and to project the voice). 

This is often supplemented by a naghara 

(tom-tom-like drum) and a balaban 

(double-reed woodwind). Mansurov’s 

10-minute Shur was for five musicians; 

Sahib played it with just naghara accompaniment 

and added eight minutes 

of other elements of mugham to exploit 

the tar’s technical range – and bring 

the jury to its feet in applause. He took 

the Grand Prix in competition with 500 

musicians from 70 countries. 

… to Shusha 

Official recognition is also clear: 

Honoured Artist Sahib Pashazade 

was invited to play at the Kharibulbul 

Festival in Shusha, 12-13 May last year, 

in celebration of the return of Karabakh 

to Azerbaijan, following the 44-day war 

to end Armenia’s nearly 30-year occupation 

of those lands. Shusha is regarded 

as the cultural cradle of Azerbaijan, 

and so for Sahib: 

“It was a fairy tale. Server Ibrahimov, 

my teacher – all my teachers – were from 

Shusha; it was a pleasure for me to be 

there. Server Ibrahimov’s son asked me 

to bring some earth back from Shusha to 

put on his father’s grave… I was walking 

in Shusha, and I saw the old buildings, the 

old houses: Khan Shushinski, Natavan, 

and I imagined how it was 100 years 

ago, I imagined how Uzeyir Hajibeyli, 

Abdurrahim Hagverdiyev and all those 

people lived. I told myself five or six 

times, ‘Sahib, you are walking in Shusha, 

it’s true.’ It was a responsibility to play 

there because Sadigjan lived in Shusha, 



And the young Turks? 

Meanwhile my friend of the tar maker 

had been contacted by a young player 

from Vergeduz village (pop. 1,248, down 

south, near the border with Iran). Samir 

Asadli and his twin brother Samig are 

both now studying tar at the National 

Conservatoire in Baku. A quick look at 

a phone video of Samir in action was 

enough to pique the interest. So, the 

day after the noisy restaurant interview 

with Sahib Pashazade, a tarzan at his 

peak, we were outside a café competing 

with the traffic to learn more about the 

rising generation. 

There had been a great grandfather 

known in the region for his balaban 

playing, but the boys’ earliest influence 

was their father, an enthusiastic 

amateur tar player, who bought them 

children’s, then adults’ versions of the 

instrument. Born at the beginning of 

the millennium, they have been playing 

since they were nine years old and are 

obviously serious about the track they 

have chosen. 

As they near the end of their fouryear 

course, they have their eyes on 

a Master’s, while seeking as much 

practical experience as possible, hence 

the appeal to my friend and their subsequent 

playing and mature handling 

of the impromptu atmospheres at two 

busy Book Fairs he organised. Very 

impressive. 

7. Photo: Samir Asadli (far left) in action. 

Photo: Ian Peart 

8. Photo: Elturan Mammadov 

9. Photo: Shutterstock/Gecko Studio 

“I want to make the 

tar known in different 

countries, to make 

it known to other 

peoples 

Safe hands 

Samir’s feelings about the tar differed 

from those offered by Sahib. He compared 

its sound with the tars played in 

India and Iran and felt that the sound 

of the Azerbaijani tar was something 

special, referring back to the changes 

made by Sadigjan. The lifting of the tar 

from the lap to the chest also facilitated 

the playing of more technically difficult 

music, and he appreciates the wider 

range of music available. 

Asked for his favourite music to play, 

he came back with composer Vasif 

Adigozelov (you can hear “Grand Old 

Man” Ramiz Guliyev play Qaranfil – 

Carnation, at https://is.gd/oK2WaF) and 

Pablo de Sarasate’s Gipsy Airs. Samig 

chose Gamber Huseinli’s Ilk Ashk – 

First Love (Ramiz Guliyev plays this at 

https://is.gd/lJk03A). 

I was lucky enough to hear the 

enterprising Samir play the Gipsy Airs 

at a solo concert he arranged at the 

Conservatoire. As well as Sarasate’s 

piece he played three mughams, two 

locally-composed songs, Adigozelov’s 

Layla for tar and piano and Glinka’s 

Overture to his opera Ruslan and 

Ludmila. A fair variety and certainly a 

delightful performance. 

Other commitments prevented 

me from watching Samir play at the 

Philharmonic Hall in December. But 

I did note that it was with the State 

Orchestra of Folk Instruments, directed 

by Aghaverdi Pashayev, father of one 

Sahib Pashazade. Stories and connections… 

serendipity abounds here. 

Although keen to try their hands at 

different kinds of music, Samir and 

Samig are firmly rooted in their culture. 

When the plectrums rest, paintbrush 

and books often take their place. The 

poetry of Shah Ismayil, Nasimi and 

Fuzuli – the sources of many of the 

lyrics sung by mugham khanendes – 

are favourite writers. 

And for the future, beyond a 

Master’s? 

“I want to be known as a musician of 

Azerbaijani national music, to leave my 

name as an Azerbaijani musician. And I 

want to make the tar known in different 

countries, to make it known to other 

peoples.” 

It sounds like the historic tar is in safe 

hands. Catch it live if you can. 

Ian Peart and 

Saadat Ibrahimova 

are an Anglo-Azerbaijani couple 

translating, editing, writing 

and teaching in Baku. 



KING 

of the 

Mountains 

by Tom Marsden 

Let us introduce you to 

one of Azerbaijan’s most 

incredible, and endangered, 

creatures: the 

majestic Caucasus leopard. 

This article has been put 

together in collaboration 

with WWF Azerbaijan. 

One of the world’s 35 biodiversity 

hotspots, the Caucasus 

spans 500,000km2 between the 

Black and Caspian seas and, 

besides Azerbaijan, Armenia 

and Georgia, includes parts of 

Russia, Turkey and Iran. This 

unique crossroads location 

means the relatively small 

eco-region packs in geographical 

features of Europe, the 

Middle East and Central Asia, 

resulting in a spectacular 

variety of landscapes and 

many endemic species. There 

are about 1,650 indigenous 

plants and animals, according 

to the Caucasus Nature Fund. 

And none are more spectacular 

than the Caucasus leopard 

– the top predator in the 

Caucasus and a flagship species 

for conservation. 

1. Panthera pardus saxicolor. Photo: Ola Jennersten/WWF Sweden 

78 



LARGEST LEOPARD 

The leopard is the world’s 

most widespread big cat, 

found from Africa, to the 

Middle East, to south-west 

Asia. The Caucasus is the 

north-westernmost tip of its 

range and the subspecies 

found here is Panthera pardus 

saxicolor (aka Panthera pardus 

tulliana), called either the 

Caucasus, Persian or Central 

Asian leopard, depending 

on geographical location. It 

is larger than other leopard 

subspecies, weighing around 

70kg with males up to three 

times bigger than females. It 

also has a stockier body and 

shorter legs – and therefore 

tends to avoid deep snow – 

while its fur colour is paler. It 

has spots on the head, limbs 

and stomach, while those on 

the back and sides are shaped 

like a rosette. 

Due to its incredibly 

cautious and elusive 

nature, much regarding the 

behaviour of the Caucasus 

leopard remains a mystery. 

It is known to prey mainly on 

ungulates such as mouflon, 

bezoar goat, chamois, East 

Caucasian tur, wild boar and 

roe deer, plus porcupine, 

badger and livestock. And 

one of its key characteristics 

is its incredible adaptability, 

both in terms of prey 

and habitat, which has 

helped the leopard survive 

against the odds. It can 

live in diverse terrains, but 

most commonly in remote 

mountainous areas, whether 

arid and rocky or lushly 

forested; as ambush hunters, 

it prefers places with plenty 

of hiding spots. Leopards 

are solitary animals that 

roam enormous distances 

(up to 250km) and only meet 

to mate. Females generally 

have one or two cubs that 

remain by her side for the 

first 18 months. 

ENDANGERED SPECIES 

The historical range of the 

Panthera pardus saxicolor 

spanned all the way from 

western Turkey to Pakistan 

in the east, north to southern 

Russia and south to 

Iran. And while isolated 

leopards are still sighted 

as far afield as Kazakhstan 

and Turkmenistan, generally 

speaking the story of the 

Caucasus leopard, like many 

other big cats, has been one of 

continuous habitat and population 

decline. 

To such an extent that, 

nowadays, only small and 

isolated populations remain 

and the subspecies is listed 

as endangered on the IUCN 

Red List. In Azerbaijan, the 

leopard was long ago added 

to the country’s Red Book of 

endangered and protected 

species. There are thought 

to be around 1,000 left in 

the world, the majority of 

which live in Iran, from 

where some individuals 

wander north into the South 

Caucasus countries. Only 

21 individuals have been 

sighted in Azerbaijan since 

2007. 

The leopard has been 

present here since ancient 

times, as evidenced by its 

depiction in rock paintings 

at Gobustan, Gemigaya and 

in Kelbajar, as well as bones 

found in the Azikh Cave 

in Karabakh. Up until the 

20th century it remained 

prevalent in both the 

Greater and Lesser Caucasus 

mountains, as well as the 

lowlands between them. 

But by the 1930s, due to 

habitat fragmentation and 

hunting – the leopard was 

seen as a pest and a threat 

to livestock – its numbers 

had plummeted drastically. 

And following a few more 

decades of persecution, by 

the 1960s it found itself on 

the verge of extinction. 

In short, it seemed to 

be following the fate of 

the Caspian tiger, a nowextinct 

big cat whose 

historical range largely 

overlapped with the 

leopard’s. In Azerbaijan, 

the last two tigers were 

killed by poachers in the 

Hirkan Forest in the early 

1930s. Happily, however, 

the leopard proved more 

resilient. Initially, being 

listed as a protected species 

in the Soviet Union in 1972 

helped the population to 

stabilise. But after the 

fall of the USSR in 1991, 

it experienced another 

period of decline, as tough 

economic conditions forced 

rural communities to 

plunder forests and hunt the 

leopard’s prey base. 

2. Photo: Ola Jennersten/WWF Sweden 

80 



CONSERVATION EFFORTS 

In fact, up until the early 2000s, there 

was no scientific evidence that the 

leopard had survived in the Caucasus. 

The turning point came in 2002, when 

the WWF, together with the Ministry 

of Ecology, launched a comprehensive 

leopard conservation programme, 

whose first success was in 

confirming the presence of leopards 

in two main areas of Azerbaijan: the 

Zangezur Mountains in Nakhchivan 

and the Talish Mountains of Astara 

and Lankaran, as well as in the 

arid area around the Mingachevir 

Reservoir. 

This presented a fantastic opportunity 

to save “Europe’s last leopard,” 

which was swiftly identified as 

a flagship species for conservation, 

as well as an umbrella species whose 

revival has the potential to positively 

impact other species and habitats. 

Since then, its broad range across 

multiple countries has turned it into 

a symbol of regional cooperation. 

Over the last 20 years, camera 

traps set up in the Zangezur and 

Talish mountains have kept tabs on 

the presence of both the leopard and 

its prey species. The first leopard 

caught on camera in the Hirkan 

Forest in 2007 was a major breakthrough; 

in the Zangezur Mountains, 

the first leopard was pictured in 

2012. A network of leopard caretakers 

in these two key habitats have 

worked to thwart poachers and 

numbers of bezoar and mouflon, key 

prey species, have swelled by about 

20 per cent as a result. 

Other important leopard conservation 

measures have included 

awareness raising in local schools 

and communities in areas where 

leopards and people may live in 

close proximity, and expanding the 

country’s protected areas, which 

tripled in size to 150,000 hectares 

between 2007 and 2017. Ultimately, 

the aim is to create wildlife corridors 

to facilitate the formation of a 

self-sustaining leopard meta-population 

in the Caucasus. 

EARLY SUCCESS 

That seems a long way off, but at 

present there are promising signs. 

Every now and then, new camera 

trap images of leopards shared by 

WWF Azerbaijan on social media 

generate great public excitement. 

Recent sightings in Azerbaijan 

include new cubs in Nakhchivan and 

an adult leopard filmed scrambling 

up a slope by a soldier in the Kelbajar 

district of East Zangezur region. 

Meanwhile, in Georgia a leopard 

photographed in a forest in Tusheti 

was the first seen in the country since 

2009. And in Armenia, two leopards, 

probably male and female, were 

seen in January 2021 in the Caucasus 

Wildlife Refuge, increasing the belief 

that leopards are reproducing in the 

region. 

That is one of the key conservation 

goals, the first evidence of 

which was found in 2016, according 

to the WWF. Over the last five 

years, 11 cubs have been born in 

Azerbaijan: nine in Nakhchivan’s 

Zangezur mountain range and two 

in the Talish Mountains. “At the 

beginning of our project in the early 

2000s we had single animals in the 

country which appeared time by 

time in some sites. After some period 

these animals became residential 

and even started breeding within 

our boundaries. Now we have two 

reproductive nuclei in Azerbaijan. It 

is a big success of the programme,” 

wrote WWF Azerbaijan in response 

to our questions. 

Across the border in Russia, 

Caucasus leopard conservation is 

being boosted by an innovative 

project initiated in 2005 to reintroduce 

leopards into parts of the North 

Caucasus, specifically the Caucasus 

Nature Reserve and North Ossetia 

– the first leopard reintroduction 

project in the world. The leopards 

are being raised and accustomed to 

the wild in the Centre for Breeding 

and Reintroduction of the Leopard in 

Sochi National Park. The first three 

were released in 2016, followed by 

several more in 2018 and 2020. 

3. Camera trap image of a mother and cub 

in the Zangezur Mountains. 

Photo: WWF Azerbaijan 

4. The Talish Mountains, another key 

habitat 




HIRKAN HABITAT 

If you're wondering about the threat 

leopards pose to people, no attacks 

have ever been officially registered, 

however the WWF has heard of a couple 

of cases. One of those involved 

a man named Babakhan, popularly 

known in Azerbaijan as the “leopard 

man” or “Hirkanian Tarzan,” an expert 

leopard tracker whose fascination 

with the animal began after he 

was attacked by one. He resides in 

the Hirkan Forest and gained fame in 

Azerbaijan by starring in an excellent 

Nat Geo Wild documentary, World’s 

Most Wanted Leopard (available online), 

which accompanies photographer 

and filmmaker Adrien Steirn 

as he looks for leopards in the Talish 

Mountains. Occasionally, tourists 

trekking in those mountains are lucky 

enough to meet Babakhan and witness 

his astonishing knowledge of the 

forest first hand. Which brings me to 

this final thought: 

Given the leopard’s rarity and elusiveness, 

travellers to Azerbaijan 

have almost zero chance of seeing one. 

However, if you travel south-east to 

the Hirkan National Park in the Talish 

Mountains, you can at least get a feel 

for its habitat. The park protects the 

enchanting Hirkan Forest, a world-renowned 

refuge for rare and endemic 

relict trees. Visitors can follow a number 

of ecotourism trails in various directions 

through the park to local beauty 

spots. And the mere thought that a 

leopard, considered almost a mythical 

creature in these parts, may be lurking 

somewhere in the vicinity makes for a 

wonderful experience in itself. 


84 

| EXPERIENCE AZERBAIJAN

Top 10 

Villages 

Sim (Astara) 

The southern region of Azerbaijan is 

a pearl, an undiscovered treasure. 

The Astara region and especially 

Sim village are at the top of this 

treasure. Sim village, with its 

unique nature and welcoming houses, 

is home to the historic Shindan 

fortress, Balligaya (Honey Rock), 

Dustagkhana, Lashkasay plateau, 

more than 80 springs and two magnificent 

waterfalls. In addition to the 

history and nature, tourists visiting 

the village can also get to know the 

Talish people, their culture and delicious 

cuisine. Those who visit Sim 

fall in love with the village at first 

sight and can't wait to come back. 

to Visit 

Travel blogger Irada Gadirova recommends her favourite 

villages for getting off the beaten track in Azerbaijan 

and discovering the country on a deeper level. 

Photos by Irada Gadirova 

It's been exactly six years 

since I started travelling around 

Azerbaijan. This six-year journey 

has not only made me an expert 

traveller, but also helped me get 

to know my homeland better. 

Sometimes I have travelled as 

part of a group, sometimes alone 

for my own projects, and this last 

point has allowed me to embrace 

the safety of travelling solo in 

Azerbaijan as a woman, finding 

warmth and hospitality in the 

homes of strangers in remote 

mountain villages. 

My travels have covered 

almost all of Azerbaijan 

and I have travelled 

everywhere from remote 

mountain villages 

to villages at sea level. 

During this time, I have 

had the opportunity to get 

to know the geography, 

history and especially the 

ethnography and cuisine 

of each village. When 

foreigners keen to come 

to Azerbaijan ask for 

advice on their travels, 

I don’t hesitate to direct 

them to places outside of 

Baku. Because the pulse 

and heart of Azerbaijan 

are the villages and their 

people. 

I had and still have a hard 

time answering questions 

like “which three 

districts – or which three 

villages – do you love the 

most?” because every 

region I go to, every village 

house I knock at is as 

close to me as my family. 

Nevertheless, here I have 

attempted to prepare a 

list of my top 10 villages 

to visit in Azerbaijan 

and outline what makes 

each of them special – to 

explain why local and foreign 

tourists should visit 

these places in particular. 



Toradi 

(Astara) 

Sharing a border with Lerik via a high 

mountain road, Toradi has a charming 

beauty. The road to Toradi is accompanied 

by the remarkable beauty of the 

villages of Motlayatag and Hamosham, 

and when you reach Toradi you feel 

as if you have arrived in Switzerland. 

The villagers are engaged in gardening 

and beekeeping. Toradi is also home to 

the legendary historical monument of 

Galingaya (Bride Rock). It’s a beautiful 

village that you want to closely protect. 

The locals are also very hospitable and 

always ready to help. 

Mistan 

(Lerik) 

The road to Mistan passes through 

Khalifakend and in fact both villages 

have an ancient history. Here, you 

can find houses that date back to the 

infamous relocation of 1951-1953 (a 

Soviet policy to move villagers away 

from mountainous areas bordering 

Iran). Both villages are located 

within the Zuvand part of Lerik, 

and the mountainous part of Mistan 

is particularly attractive. Tourists, 

especially fans of ecotourism, can 

feel the clouds beneath their feet 

while climbing to Mistan Peak, from 

where an amazing view opens up to 

Ardabil and Savalan mountains. 



Pazmari (Ordubad) 

Located in the Ordubad district of 

Nakhchivan, Pazmari village is 

surrounded by the last slopes of the 

Zangazur range. An easily accessible 

and comfortable road has been 

built to the village, one of the most 

remote in the district, which makes 

it easier to visit. The main reason 

for visiting is the two waterfalls: 

a small one on the first part of the 

road to the village and a larger, more 

impressive one on the second part. 

The beautiful nature of the Ordubad 

region manifests itself in Pazmari. 

Bist 

(Ordubad) 

Bist village, one of the last villages of the 

Ordubad district of Nakhchivan, must 

be on the list because of Goygol Lake, 

aka Four Seasons Lake, one of the most 

beautiful lakes in Azerbaijan. It’s highly 

recommended to head to Goygol to witness 

and admire its beauty, and the road 

there passes through Bist. 



Yukhari 

Chardakhlar 

(Zagatala) 

The Zagatala region of Azerbaijan is distinguished 

by its nature, history and unique 

gastronomic features. From an ethnographic 

point of view, I sometimes call Zagatala an 

open-air museum: besides us, locals of Turkic 

origin, many different ethnic groups, such 

as Tsakhurs, Avars, Ingiloys and Lezgis live 

here. Each has their own language. I could 

name several villages in Zagatala, but Yukhari 

Chardakhlar stands out for two monuments: 

one historical and one natural. The historical 

monument is Perigala, dating from the 3rd-4th 

centuries AD; the natural one is one of our 

highest mountain lakes: Khalakhe. Visiting 

both requires special strength and perseverance. 

However, they will stay in your memory 

for a lifetime. In Yukhari Chardakhlar you can 

also taste the delicious cuisine of Zagatala. 

Nasirvaz (Ordubad) 

Another charming village of the Ordubad district 

of Nakhchivan (almost all the villages in Ordubad 

have a wonderful beauty and charm) is Nasirvaz 

village. This is certainly a must-see place because 

of the Gamigaya petroglyphs, located at an 

altitude of 3,000 metres and being 7-8,000 years 

old. Gamigaya is an open-air petroglyph museum 

where encountering every stone and seeing their 

inscriptions is like touching history. The convenient 

road leading to the village makes visitors’ 

lives much easier. Between the village and the 

heights where the petroglyphs are is the Gamigaya 

Museum, which is considered the highest museum 

in Azerbaijan. 



Kalakhana 

(Shamakhi) 

Shamakhi is the most beautiful 

monument of Azerbaijan’s 

ancient past, the heir of the 

historical Shirvanshah state 

and Shamakhi Khanate. The 

region is steeped in history 

and has always attracted attention 

with its nature, hospitality 

and delicious cuisine. 

When it comes to Shamakhi, 

the first village on my list 

is Kalakhana. Located here 

are famous tombs which are 

historical monuments of the 

Sufi world. These tombs, 

relics of the Middle Ages, 

fell victim to vandalism in 

March 1918, and only seven 

of the original nine have 

survived to the present day. 

Reconstruction of the road 

to Kalakhana has made it 

easier to visit the village. 

Especially in the March-May 

period, Kalakhana takes on 

magnificent colours. 

Griz 

(Guba) 

I sometimes call Griz, one of the highest 

villages in Azerbaijan, our Lukla. Griz 

has been difficult to get to for many 

years and used to be accessed along the 

Gudialchay canyon. Both the canyon 

itself and the road have wonderful 

views and even though it was difficult 

and dangerous, reaching the village via 

that road was an incredible experience. 

Today, a more convenient road 

has been built via the villages of Alpan 

and Susay, making travelling to Griz 

easier. What makes Griz so attractive is 

its location, as well as its friendly and 

hospitable people. The village is surrounded 

by high mountain ranges and 

offers a convenient route to the three 

main peaks in the Gizilgaya massif – 

Gizilgaya, Heydar and Ataturk. Griz 

is also famous for its waterfall, which 

freezes into a kingdom of frost in winter 

and in summer is full of water and a 

great place to cool off. Griz is also home 

to a partly destroyed mosque which 

dates back to the early Middle Ages 

and tombstones with special Albanian 

symbols. In short, the village has a deep 

past. 



Laza (Gusar) 

Surrounded by the majestic Shahdag and 

Gizilgaya mountains, Laza will make you fall in 

love with it. Descending to Laza feels like being 

at the foot of the Himalayas, in remote Nepal. 

The village is unforgettable for its kindness, 

hospitality and the delicious cuisine of the 

Lezgi people and conquers visitors’ hearts with 

its charming nature. From Laza, famed for its 

beautiful Mikhtoken mountain range and waterfall, 

a trekking route begins to the neighbouring 

village of Kuzun which is perfect for active travellers. 

Along the way you can admire another 

beautiful waterfall and the Gusarchay river. The 

nearby Shahdag Mountain Resort also attracts 

fans of winter sports. Laza is one of the most 

beautiful and most visited villages in Azerbaijan 

in terms of eco- and gastro-tourism. 

This top 10 is symbolic 

for me because, as 

previously mentioned, 

every village I have 

been to has a special 

place in my heart. In 

the Lesser Caucasus, 

there are dozens of 

other villages that I 

could add. Azerbaijan 

must be walked 

around, discovered 

and loved. 

15. Photo: Shutterstock/zef art 



THIS SUMMER 

REJUVENATE YOUR 

ENERGY AT SHAHDAG! 

Shahdag Mountain Resort is the first and the largest mountain tourism spot of Azerbaijan. 

Covering more than 2058 ha. area, it offers unique mountain experience both in summer 

and winter. With its budget category to world class 5 star hotels, hiking, camping and 

dozens of other outdoor sport activities, exceptional gastronomic experience and 

award-winning OVDAN SPA that will refresh your soul, Shahdag Mountain Resort promises 

an unforgettable summer getaway full of memories. 

Paragliding 

Quad tours 

Camping 

Hiking 

Zipline 

Off-road tours 

Mountain bikes 

Bobkart 

Trotinette 

Horseback riding 

Water slide 

Shooting 

KP29, Gusar – Laza motoroad, Azerbaijan 

1110, +994 12 310 1110 

www.shahdag.az 

reservations@shahdag.az 

shahdag.resort 

shahdagresort

Ivanovka 

Rural Bliss in 

Ismayilli 

by Sayali Bahar and Tom Marsden 

IN THE CENTRAL PART OF AZERBAIJAN, 

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUTHERN 

SLOPES OF THE GREATER CAUCASUS 

MOUNTAINS, LIES THE ISMAYILLI 

REGION OF AZERBAIJAN. AND HERE 

THERE IS A RUSSIAN VILLAGE CALLED 

IVANOVKA WHICH IS FAMOUS FOR ITS 

UNUSUAL HISTORY AND COMMUNITY. 

VISITING IVANOVKA IS ONE OF THE MOST 

AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES YOU CAN 

HAVE IN THE REGION – WITH ITS STILL- 

FUNCTIONING "KOLKHOZ" (A COLLECTIVE 

FARM IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION), 

IT IS A TRUE LIVING HERITAGE OF 

COMMUNISM. 

1. Sunflowers and a farm in Ivanovka. Photo: Shutterstock/gfarique 

100 



History 

This village in Azerbaijan with such a 

Russian toponym arose thanks to Ivan 

Pershin, the head of a small group of 

Molokans, consisting of 11 families, who 

were exiled by the government of Tsarist 

Russia in 1840 out of harm's way to the 

outskirts of the empire – to Azerbaijan. 

Molokans were deemed adherents of 

an ecclesiastical heresy – Molokanism, 

which arose in Russia in the 18th century. 

They are somewhat similar to 

Muslims and reject icons and the entire 

church hierarchy and ritualism. The 

main principle of Molokanism can be 

formulated as: “God must be worshipped 

not with an external rite, but with the 

spirit.” 

There are several versions about 

the origin of the word "Molokans." 

According to one, it’s because they drank 

milk (moloko in Russian) on fasting days, 

when the intake of "quick" food was prohibited 

by Orthodox canons. According 

to another, it's because they viewed 

pure milk as spiritual. 

In pre-revolutionary times, before 

the Soviets, Ivanovka’s population 

was primarily Russian, but in the early 

1930s it began to mix with Lezgis and 

Azerbaijanis. Nowadays, besides the 

Muslims and small number of practising 

Molokans, who gather every Sunday 

morning in a plain and simple prayer 

house, the village is also populated 

by Orthodox Christians and Baptists. 

Seeing how all these different faiths coexist 

in one village makes Ivanovka one 

of the hidden gems of Azerbaijan. 

In 1936, the Molokan community 

came together to form a collective farm. 

In 1953, Nikolay Vasilyevich Nikitin became 

its chairman at the age of 27, and 

under his leadership, by the end of the 

1980s, it had turned into one of the leading 

farms not only in the republic, but 

also in the Soviet Union, becoming a socalled 

“millionaire” collective farm. For 

his agricultural achievements, Nikitin 

was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist 

Labour. 

Today, Ivanovka’s kolkhoz is the only 

one left in Azerbaijan and probably in 

the whole of the former Soviet Union. It 

has a repair shop, a car service, a sawmill, 

livestock and breeding farms, a 

milk processing factory and a bakery – 

and it contributes to Ivanovka’s old rural 

atmosphere, which is another reason 

why the village is a must-visit destination. 

When you walk around Ivanovka, it 

feels like being in a retro Soviet movie. 

“When you walk 

around Ivanovka, it 

feels like being in a 

retro Soviet movie 

2. Photo: Shutterstock/Ruad 

3. Collective farm workers. 

Photo: Shutterstock/wangbin6007 

4. Photo: Shutterstock/Nikolay253 

5. Photo: Shutterstock/wangbin6007 

6. Molokans at prayers. 

Photo: Shutterstock/Ruad 



Molokans in Azerbaijan 

Ivanovka is the oldest and largest of 

the Molokan villages on the territory 

of Azerbaijan. Previously, there 

were others, such as Novosaratovka, 

Novoivanovka, Chukhuryurd, Marazy, 

Astrakhanka and Altiaghaj, which are 

scattered across different regions of 

Azerbaijan. But Ivanovka is now the 

only one with a large Russian population 

due to emigration after the Soviet period 

and is therefore the best place to discover 

Molokan heritage. 

The Molokan community also has a 

historic presence in Baku, where if you 

ask a local about them their first association 

will be the Molokan Garden, situated 

in the heart of Baku, near Fountains 

Square, which in the 1870s was in the 

vicinity of the so-called Molokan settlement. 

Ten years later, in the 1880s, 

the Molokan settlement was relocated 

to the area around the railway station. 

The iconic garden has been renamed 

several times (Marinsky, Garden of 9th 

January, and now – Khagani Garden, 

named after the medieval Sufi poet 

Ali Khaqani Shirvani), but locals still 

call it “Molokansky” and the area 

“Molokanka.” 

You can also still see the old Molokan 

prayer house in Baku, which is now 

used by the independent art community 

Salaam Cinema Baku. 

7. Photo: Shutterstock/Ruad 

8. A collective farm worker. 

Photo: Shutterstock/Ruad 

9. Photo: Shutterstock/Nikolay253 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 

Getting there 

If you don’t have your own wheels, 

the most convenient way from Baku is 

by shared taxi. Not far from the 20th 

January metro station is a bus station 

called Shamakhinka, from where shared 

taxis travel regularly to Ismayilli city for 

10 AZN per passenger. From Ismayilli city 

centre you can go by taxi to the village 

for 5-6 AZN. 

Places to stay 

There are a few comfortable guesthouses 

in Ivanovka. We recommend 

these two: Ohio Inn (www.ohio-inn.com), 

founded by an Azerbaijani couple who 

lived in Ohio, USA, offers fresh local 

cuisine, rooms with views and village 

tours. Village Rooms Guesthouse 

(@villageroomsguesthouse; open March to 

November) has functioned for a number 

of years and provides simple, affordable 

accommodation with homestyle meals. 



“Ivanovka is a great 

getaway from the bustle 

of the city and to be 

alone with nature 

WHAT TO SEE AND DO 

Ivanovka is a great getaway from the 

bustle of the city and to be alone with 

nature. Here, you can fish on the nearby 

Ashigbayramli Lake, take photos of 

the Caucasus Mountains, and most importantly, 

feel the rural life atmosphere. 

If you’re keen to explore local history 

and culture, Ivanovka’s grand House of 

Culture has a one-room museum full of 

old photos and agricultural and household 

artefacts; the best way to arrange 

a visit is via one of the guesthouses. 

Village tours are also possible through 

the Ohio Inn guesthouse. 

Ivanovka is also popular with gastronomes. 

The village’s farm products, 

including dairy (milk, cheese, tvorog, 

smetana, etc.), honey and homemade 

wine are in high demand and sold in 

many private houses. In addition to 

Azerbaijani and Russian, the local cuisine 

includes several authentic Molokan 

dishes. These include: chinenki, a local 

pastry made with different fillings (such 

as raspberries or blackberries); Molokan 

bread, which is large and sour, baked in 

a Russian oven, and made by adding 

hops instead of yeast; lapsha, Molokan 

noodles prepared at special occasions 

such as weddings or funerals using a 

large quantity of eggs, sometimes the 

yolk only; kholodets, or cow feet cooked 

for half an hour with onions and bay 

leaves, then frozen and served cold. 

The village also has an exceptional 

honey-making tradition, with firstclass 

honey being sold from individual 

homes. The villagers are extremely hospitable, 

so visitors may find themselves 

invited to partake of tea with delicious 

home-made honey. Through prior prearrangement 

(via guesthouses or tour 

companies), you may even be able to 

learn about the honey-making process. 

Ivanovka, and the Ismayilli region in 

general, are famous for winemaking 

as well. During the Soviet anti-alcohol 

campaign of 1985-1988, most of the 

vineyards in Azerbaijan were destroyed, 

but the head of Ivanovka’s collective 

farm, Nikitin, managed to preserve 

about 300 hectares, which still today 

are one of the farm’s main sources 

of income. Several wineries around 

Azerbaijan make wine from Ivanovka’s 

grapes. In 2014, the winery Absheron 

Sherab launched a special line called 

“İvanovka Bağları 1954,” made from native 

Madrasa red grapes grown in the 

Ivanovka vineyard, to mark the vineyard's 

60th anniversary. 

Even if you don’t have time to visit 

Ivanovka, you can still buy local 

wine, cheese and other products of 

Ivanovka’s collective farm in downtown 

Baku, where there are several shops 

branded Ivanovka (the main one is at 

15 Nakhchivani Street). 

Nearby attractions 

If you’re visiting Ivanovka, it’s worth 

doing a tour of other interesting villages 

in the Ismayilli region – such as Basgal, 

one of Azerbaijan’s most ancient settlements, 

whose narrow cobblestone 

streets and houses built from the same 

stone create a special atmosphere. In 

the Middle Ages, Basgal was a centre 

of crafts, in particular silk weaving. 

The most popular local product was 

the kelaghayi – a national women's 

headdress made of delicate, thin silk, 

extremely soft and pleasant to touch. 

Lately the fashion of wearing and buying 

kelaghayi as a souvenir has been 

reborn, with a number of Azerbaijani 

brands in Baku producing and selling 

them. In Basgal, meanwhile, you can 

visit the Kelaghayi Centre to learn about 

the craft. 

Another mountain settlement in 

Ismayilli with fine craftsmanship traditions 

is Lahij, a popular tourist destination 

which is inhabited largely by ethnic 

10. Garanohur Lake in the Shahdag National Park 

11. Basgal's Kelaghayi Centre. Photo: Fargana Gasimli 



Tats. Lahij is best known as an ancient 

centre of copperware production, the 

local traditions of which – like the art 

of kelaghayi – have been recognised as 

part of the intangible heritage of humanity 

by UNESCO. In addition, its cobbled 

streets, squares and quarters, developed 

sewerage and water supply system, and 

river stone buildings make Lahij a monument 

of medieval urban planning. 

Also worth visiting is the village 

Galacig, located by the border with the 

Gabala region, near the mountains. It 

has fantastic mountain views, an ancient 

fortress called Gasimkhan, and 

picturesque chestnut orchards. 

The Ismayilli region is also a great 

place to go hiking in the Greater 

Caucasus Mountains. One popular, easily 

reachable destination is the mountain 

lake, Garanohur, located in the Shahdag 

National Park at an altitude of 1,600 metres, 

near the village of Talistan. The 

trail is of moderate difficulty ascending 

through a forest, and walking to the lake 

and back, with breaks, takes about six 

hours. Other superb scenic routes exist 

around the villages of Lahij and Basgal. 

But as these are not officially marked 

and signposted yet, you'll need a local 

guide. 

Finally, having mentioned Ismayilli’s 

wine traditions, you should also consider 

visiting the Chabiant winery 

(www.chabiant.az/en) in the small nearby 

settlement of Hajihatamli, along the 

road between Ismayilli and Goychay. 

There you can try exceptional local 

wines and enjoy an outdoor pool, restaurant 

and guesthouse – perfect in warmer 

months. 

Sayali Bahar 

is a writer and the author 

of three published novels 

on life in Baku, its society 

and urban culture. 

12. An Ivanovka beekeeper 

13. The vineyards of Chabiant Winery 

14. The famous coppersmithing of Lahij 




BAKU's 

Best House 

Museums 

Words and photos 

by Alla Garagashli 

THE HOUSE MUSEUM CONCEPT IS OFTEN 

EMPLOYED IN AZERBAIJAN TO PRESERVE 

THE MEMORY OF PEOPLE WHO PLAYED 

AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE COUNTRY'S 

HISTORY. INSIDE, ATTENTIVE AND WARM- 

HEARTED GUIDES TALK ABOUT THE KEY 

MOMENTS IN THEIR LIVES AND SHARE THE 

HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO HELP YOU HAVE AN 

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE. 

THIS ARTICLE AIMS TO INSPIRE YOU TO CALL 

INTO BAKU’S HIDDEN HOUSE MUSEUMS AND 

LEARN SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT 

AZERBAIJAN’S HISTORY. 

House museum of the famous composer Gara Garayev 



VAGIF MUSTAFAZADE 

Let’s start with someone whose name 

is popular not only in Azerbaijan but 

also worldwide: Vagif Mustafazade. 

The great jazz performer was born on 

16 March 1940 and is best known as 

the author of a new direction in jazz – 

Azerbaijani jazz-mugham, the synthesis 

of classical Azerbaijani folk music and 

modern jazz music. He was a recognised 

genius and winner of various music 

awards and competitions, as well as 

simply a beloved jazz musician. 

In 1979, for his triumphant performance 

at the International Piano 

Competition in Monaco, Mustafazade 

was awarded first prize. But unfortunately, 

in the same year the musician 

died of a heart attack at the age of 39. It 

happened on 16 December 1979 on stage 

in Tashkent during a performance of 

Waiting for Aziza (Aziza Mustafazade is 

Vagif’s daughter and a world-renowned 

jazz musician in her own right). 

His house museum is in Icherisheher, 

in the heart of Baku, and it’s very cozy. 

To lead you further into the life of the 

great musician, the guide plays recordings 

of him talking about his life accompanied 

by jazz compositions, which are 

so harmoniously intertwined that you 

don't want to leave this beautiful place. 

The house museum was established in 

1989 and consists of a small apartment 

with three rooms. However, there are 

more than 1,214 artefacts, including the 

musician’s beloved piano, posters of his 

concerts, photographs from family albums 

and more items related to his life. 

Mustafazade’s jazz is very Baku – 

you can feel it in every note. So if you 

ever feel nostalgic about Baku, playing 

Vagif’s music will certainly make you 

feel back there, on the streets of his 

hometown. 

4 Vagif Mustafazade St. 

+99412 92 17 92 

Open every day except Monday 

10am-6pm 

UZEYIR HAJIBEYLI 

In Azerbaijan, we celebrate National 

Music Day on 18 September. And that’s 

not a coincidence, because on that day 

our great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli was 

born! 

His house museum was established 

in 1975 on the initiative of national 

leader Heydar Aliyev. Originally it 

was in Shusha, but during that city’s 

occupation it was transferred to Baku. 

Our conservatory also bears the name of 

Hajibeyli, and as a tradition, on National 

Music Day an orchestra performs in 

front of it. This beautiful tradition was 

laid by the composer’s nephew, the 

maestro Niyazi. 

To understand all the greatness of 

Uzeyir Hajibeyli, just look at his long list 

of achievements: he was the founder 

of modern professional music in 

Azerbaijan; the editor and then owner 

of the Yeni Igbal newspaper; later, the 

editor of the Azerbaijan newspaper; 

professor and rector of the Azerbaijan 

State Conservatoire; chairman of the 

Union of Composers of the Azerbaijan 

SSR; author of the first opera in the 

entire Islamic world; author of the music 

of the national anthem of Azerbaijan. 

And much more! 

The museum has four rooms and a 

very cozy patio. Of all the items and 

personal belongings presented in the 

museum, the most memorable for me 

are the author's glasses – the ones he 

always wore and the ones it’s impossible 

to imagine him without – and the 

wall clock, on which the time of the 

composer's death is frozen; his wife 

stopped it when Hajibeyli left us. He 

had no children. 

67/69 Shamil Azizbekov St. 

+99412 495 2558 

@uzeyir_hacibeylinin_ev_muzeyi 


9am-6pm 



SAMED VURGUN 

This museum is in a six-room apartment 

on the third floor of a residential building 

built in 1896 by the Baku millionaire 

Aga Yusif Dadashev. The poet Samed 

Vurgun lived here during the last years 

of his life. 

He was born Samed Yusif oglu 

Vekilov on 21 March 1906 into an aristocratic 

family in the village of Yukhari 

Salakhli. Having lost his mother early, 

he was brought up by his father and 

grandmother. He received his education 

in the village where he lived and then 

continued it with his brother at the 

branch of the Gori Seminary in Gazakh, 

where he wrote his first poems. 

After graduating from the seminary, 

Samed Vekilov taught Azerbaijani language 

and literature in various villages 

and regions of Azerbaijan, including 

Gazakh, Guba and Ganja. And it was 

during these years that he took the 

pseudonym "Vurgun" (which translates 

as "in love"), explaining it with his love 

for his people and motherland. 

As in other museums, many items 

belonging to the poet and his family, 

including antique furniture, memorabilia, 

photographs and fireplaces, have 

been preserved in the rooms. In one 

of them is a grand piano, which at one 

time Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Gara Garayev, 

Fikret Amirov, Seyid Rustamov and 

Vagif Samedoglu all played on. Among 

the valuable exhibits is an antique clock 

which the poet's wife Haver khanim 

stopped when Samed Vurgun passed 

away on 27 May 1956 at half past seven 

in the evening. 

4 Tarlan Aliyarbekov St 

+99412 493 5652 

@samadvurgun_museum 

Open Wednesday-Friday 10am-6pm; 

Saturday-Sunday 10am-5pm 

GARA GARAYEV 

This museum is new so everything 

inside is very well 

thought out, fresh and beautiful. 

Information about Garayev is 

divided into periods of his life 

and work. Each period has its 

own colour, so you can easily 

navigate through the flat. 

Gara Garayev was an 

Azerbaijani composer, the 

author of three operas, Ayna 

(together with D. Hajiyev, 1941), 

Motherland (together with D. 

Hajiyev, 1945), Tenderness (a 

monodrama based on the play 

by A. Barbusse, for female voice 

and chamber orchestra, 1972); 

three ballets, Seven Beauties 

(1952), Trail of Thunder (1958), 

Leyli and Majnun (1958); and 

three symphonies; as well as 

numerous works of program, 

chamber and instrumental music, 

and music for performances 

and films. 

It was nice to learn that 

Garayev also loved film photography 

and motorcycles. 

These hobbies are reflected on a 

special stand. Another touching 

moment is Garayev's letters to 

children, which are worth reading. 

You can also listen to music 

from Don Quixote, which accompanies 

the atmosphere. There 

are many posters, notes and 

publications, as well as a video 

installation on the wall where 

you can see how the composer 

grew up and evolved. 

47-49 Nizami St, 3rd floor 

+99412 505 8097 

Open all week except Mondays 

10am-5:30pm 



NARIMAN NARIMANOV 

A publicist, politician and doctor, 

Narimanov was born on 14 April 1870 in 

Tiflis (now Tbilisi) and attended school 

at the Gori Seminary. Later, he trained 

as a primary school teacher and worked 

for some time in the Azerbaijani village 

of Gizel Adjal. In 1891, he moved to Baku 

and taught Azerbaijani and Russian in 

a private gymnasium. He also opened 

the city’s first public library and reading 

room offering books in the Azerbaijani 

language. In 1902 he entered the medical 

faculty of Novorossiysk University, 

and later began the political stage of 

his life, which you’ll learn about during 

your visit. 

Narimanov always tried to save the 

Azerbaijani intelligentsia from repression 

and in the museum are photographs 

of the people he helped; among them 

is Uzeyir Hajibeyli. You can also see 

his medical study where he received 

patients. Some days he even practised 

free of charge for people who couldn’t 

afford the help of a doctor. 

The museum exhibits his personal 

belongings: documents, photographs, 

books, newspaper and magazine 

clippings, amber rosary, astrakhan hat, 

an old table clock, as well as doctor's 

instruments. There is also a model of 

the house in which Narimanov grew up 

in Tiflis, which was unfortunately later 

destroyed. Nowadays, a house museum 

has been built in its place. 

The museum is located on the 

second floor; dial 101 when you arrive. 

Narimanov lived here with his family 

from 1913 to 1918. On the door is the inscription 

"Doctor N. Narimanov." There 

are four rooms: a guest room, bedroom, 

doctor's office and dining room. 

35 Istiglaliyat St. 

+99412 492 05 15 

@neriman_nerimanov_xatiremuzeyi 

Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm; 

Saturday-Sunday 11am-4pm 



JALIL MAMMADGULUZADE 

This house museum is where the writer 

lived during the period 1920–1932. 

Mammadguluzade was a master of short 

stories, an educator and satirist. He was 

born in Nakhchivan and in 1882-1887 he 

too studied at the famous Gori Teachers 

Seminary. 

At the beginning of the 20th century 

he came to Tiflis, where he began to cooperate 

with the Shargi-Rus newspaper. 

After its closure, he sought permission 

to publish a satirical magazine in Azerbaijan. 

The result was the release of the 

first issue of Molla Nasreddin on 7 April 

1906. This magazine, which fought 

against illiteracy and social inequality, 

was incredibly popular not only in 

Azerbaijan but also abroad. 

His plays, Dead Men (1909), My 

Mother's Book (1920), Kamancha (1920), 

A Bunch of Crazy (1926), Collection 

(1929), Husband (1930), were also much 

loved. 

Mammadguluzade was married three 

times. Unfortunately, his first two wives 

died due to health reasons. His third 

wife was Hamida Javanshir, one of the 

first female Azerbaijani educators and a 

public figure. 

There are several rooms in the house 

filled with pictures of his plays, essays, 

letters, family photographs, paintings 

based on his stories, and pieces of 

furniture. In his wife's room, you’ll 

notice a very beautiful bed with an 

amazing painting on it. There are also 

a souvenir shelf with plates, cups, pins 

and T-shirts. 

56 Suleyman Taghizade St. 

+99412 492 2409 

@c.memmedquluzadenin.ev.muzeyi 


10am-5pm 



NIYAZI 

This is where the prominent musical 

figure, Niyazi, lived from 1958 until 

the last days of his life. The museum 

consists of five rooms: a dining room, 

bedroom and an office where everything 

has been preserved as it was, plus 

two more rooms talking about his life 

path. 

Niyazi was born on 20 August 1912 in 

Tbilisi and began his musical education 

by studying the violin at the Y. 

Schefferling School. Subsequently, he 

became a member of the board of the 

Composers' Union of the Azerbaijan 

SSR, director, artistic director, and chief 

conductor of the Azerbaijan Opera and 

Ballet Theatre, as well as the artistic 

director and chief conductor of the 

Azerbaijan Symphony Orchestra, and 

director of the Azerbaijan Philharmonic 

Hall. 

The story of his relationship with 

his wife won a special place in my 

heart. Her family did not allow them 

to be together, so the couple ran away 

and secretly got married. After that, 

they would celebrate the date of their 

escape – 31 July 1933 – as the date of 

their marriage. 

It’s also worth noting Niyazi’s perseverance 

in studying music. Being poor 

and without a musical instrument, he 

tapped melodies on the table to hear 

how they sounded and edited the notes 

the next day at the conservatoire. 

Upon entering Niyazi’s study, a wall 

gallery of photographs immediately 

catches the eye. Pictured here are people 

significant to Niyazi’s life. Among 

them is a portrait of Uzeyir Hajibeyli, 

who was the maestro's uncle. Niyazi’s 

father, Zulfugar Hajibeyli, was also a 

composer, as well as one of the founders 

of musical theatre in Azerbaijan. It 

seems Niyazi was destined to become a 

musician with such relatives. 

The museum displays the maestro's 

personal belongings, as well as sheet 

music, photographs from a personal 

album, books and gramophone records. 

29 Bulbul Avenue 

+99412 493 1836 

Open every day 10am-5pm 



AZIM AZIMZADE 

This house museum presents the works 

of the famous graphic artist, caricaturist 

and People's Artist of the Azerbaijan 

SSR, Azim Azimzade, in four genres: 

cartoons, portraits, ornaments and 

landscape. His personal belongings 

are also exhibited, including paints, 

brushes, canvases, documents and 

works of art. 

Azim Azimzade was born on 7 May 

1880 in the village of Novkhani near 

Baku, into the family of a poor oil worker. 

He was a self-educated artist and his 

talent was first noticed in the Russian- 

Azerbaijani school where he studied. 

He became the founder of Azerbaijani 

satirical graphics and his name is 

inextricably linked with the satirical 

magazine, Molla Nasreddin, published 

by Jalil Mammadguluzade. His art heritage 

includes book illustrations, satirical 

magazine and newspaper drawings, 

anti-fascist wartime posters, sketches 

of costumes and scenery, political caricatures, 

and more. 

In all the other museums I have talked 

about, there is at least one exhibit 

that left a special mark on me. In the 

house museum of Azim Azimzade, 

this is his glasses, cracked, and with a 

very bitter story attached to them, but 

I strongly recommend you hear it from 

the curator of the museum, who is a 

member of the Azimzade family. 

And be sure to pay attention to the 

artwork imitating the walls of the 

Old City, which displays Azimzade’s 

characters. Everything is done in detail, 

with great love: even the light in the 

windows looks warm and cozy. 

157 D. Aliyeva St. 

+99412 594 9473 


10am-5pm 

Alla Garagashli 

is a storyteller from Baku 

who writes a blog called 

Cellar Door to help locals and 

visitors discover her city. 



ADS 

Azal

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