Old City of Baku

Crossing the Shamakhi Gate takes three steps from the noise of Baku's traffic into a maze of alleyways where old cobblestones muffle footsteps. The air smells of freshly made coffee and spices drifting out of the small restaurants set into the ground floors of the beige limestone houses, that daş — the stone of the Absheron Peninsula — which accumulates heat well into the night in summer and feels cold and damp to the touch in winter. The entire enclosure covers less than 22 hectares: it can be walked in full in two unhurried hours.

The Old City is well stratified. On the main axes, guided groups photograph the Maiden Tower or queue to enter the Palace of the Shirvanshahs. Fifty metres away, in unlabelled alleys, residents hang laundry on strings between windows and children play football on the only flat stretch of the neighbourhood. Restaurant prices inside the walls are 8 to 12 manat higher than in the new centre for the same dish of qutab or dolma; it is worth exploring beyond the tourist axes to eat better and cheaper.

At sunset, when the low-angle light turns the stones of the north wall yellow and the organised groups leave, the pace changes. What remain are local couples, elderly people on the benches of Palace Square and the occasional cat perched on a cornice. This is when the place takes on a rhythm more its own, less staged.

The Old City of Baku has documented human occupation since the Bronze Age, but the walls visible today correspond mainly to the 11th and 12th centuries, when İçərişəhər was the capital of the Emirate of Shirvan. The most important monument in the enclosure, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, was built in the 15th century. Over the centuries, Persian Safavids, Ottomans, the Russian tsarist administration and later the Soviets left layers over the medieval fabric without entirely destroying it. UNESCO declared the ensemble a World Heritage Site in 2000, including the Maiden Tower and the palace. Subsequent restorations have been intensive and uneven: some stretches of wall look too new.

• Maiden Tower (Qız Qalası) The symbol of Baku: an eight-storey cylindrical tower whose original function — defensive, religious or astronomical — remains unresolved. The interior has well-documented explanatory panels and the terrace offers views over the Caspian Sea Boulevard. Entry approx. 4 manat. Opens at 10:00.
• Palace of the Shirvanshahs A 15th-century complex comprising throne rooms, mausoleums, a small mosque and a hammam. The main courtyard is the most peaceful space on weekday mornings before 11:00. Entry approx. 8 manat.
• Multani Caravanserai A 15th-century caravanserai linked to Indian merchants of the Silk Road. The ground floor preserves the original layout of cells around the central courtyard, now used as a cultural space.
• Mosque of Muhammad (Məhəmməd məscidi) One of the oldest mosques in the city, dating from the 12th century, discreet and frequented more by neighbourhood residents than tourists. Visitors can look inside outside prayer times.
• North outer wall Walking the perimeter of the walls, especially along the north side facing Neftçilər prospekti, allows you to appreciate the scale of the enclosure and the immediate contrast with the glass towers of modern Baku.

Photo gallery

The Old City is in the heart of Baku, next to the Caspian Sea Boulevard. The nearest metro station is İçərişəhər (green line), five minutes on foot from the main gate. From Heydar Aliyev International Airport, about 25 km to the northeast, a taxi costs 20 to 30 manat; the journey takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. From hotels in the new city centre it is a walk of under twenty minutes.

Spring — April to June — is the best time: temperatures between 15 and 25 °C and the Absheron stone not yet holding the oppressive heat of summer. September and October are equally pleasant and have fewer organised groups. July and August are hot, with highs of 35–38 °C; the stone radiates heat until the early hours. Winter is grey and damp, but the enclosure is almost tourist-free and restaurant prices drop noticeably.