Old Baku is a maze of narrow alleys surrounded by a thick city wall. I walked this labyrinth for three days and still was not sure where I was heading. But I always found my way back to the hotel, even at 4am. The two main attractions of Old Baku are the Maiden Tower and Shirvanshas Palace, hotels, restaurants make up the rest. But is not only a tourist ghetto, it is also a place where real people live. I visited Baku mid August, the worst time, so early morning and nighttime were the ideal times to explore.
Lay-out of Old Baku, inside Shirvanshah Palace
Elisabeth entering Old Baku, constructed in the local creamy white limestone
Maiden Tower, one of Old Baku’s most iconic buildings, even printed in one of their notes
Old Baku where real people live
Wandering the streets of Old Baku
Old Baku never sleeps – some restaurants are open 24/7
What I found most enoying was the number of cars, gigantic cars to be frank, driving into the old city. There are barriers at each gate, but the guards allow every car in. For an UNESCO World heritage Site this is poorly managed.
Ashame- super big cars are allowed into the old city of Baku
Shirvanshas Palace
This was the seat of the Shirvanshahs dynasty who ruled Azerbaijan for 700 years from the 9th to the 16th century. No longer a palace, today it is more like a well-maintained museum, mausoleum and garden on the original palace site. The main attraction is a stunning mosque from the 15th century.
Shirvanshas Palace
Shirvanshas Palace
Shirvanshas Palace
Shirvanshas Palace,
Justs around the corner from Shirvanshas Palace, is the Museum of Miniature Books. There is no entry free and it is worth a stop to see the private collection of Zarifa Salahova who, over a 30-year period, had the patience to accumulate this remarkable collection and share it with the public.
You’ll find miniatures of pretty much everything, including the Bible and Qur’an. The smallest book requires a microscope to see.
Museum of Miniature
Accommodation in Old Baku
Our hotel the Moon Light Hotel for 65€ per night, opposite the city wall and only a few minutes from the metro station. The perfect location to explore Old Baku and venture out to sights further away. I stayed in the basement room that was cooler since it got no sunlight, the perfect room for August.
Our hotel was shaded by the tree in the photos, city wall was to the right
Icherisheher was the metro stop closest to our hotel
Old Town is the artistic center of Baku. One of the most pleasant things to do in Baku’s Old Town is to wander in and out of the little art studios. You can see the artist at work as well as view the artwork on display
An artist next to our hotel invited us into his studio
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