Shamakhi

Shamakhi sits on a series of hills at around 800 metres above sea level, in the belt where the foothills of the Greater Caucasus begin to flatten towards the Caspian plains. Coming from Baku on the E60, the town appears among vineyards and pomegranate trees; in September the harvest fills the roadsides with trucks loaded with grapes and the sweet smell reaches the road long before entering the urban centre. The centre is compact: the Juma Mosque, the covered bazaar and the central park are all within walking distance.

Shamakhi is not set up for mass tourism. English-language signs are almost non-existent, the restaurants in the centre serve mainly locals and souvenir shops selling suvenirlər are few. That has its upside: a lamb kebab near the central market costs around 5–6 manat, and nobody tries to sell you anything. The region's wines — made from local varieties such as Madrasa and Rkatsiteli — are sold in small wineries with no elaborate labels; asking at the market is the best way to find them.

The surroundings offer several points of interest at short distances: the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory about 25 km away along a mountain road, the medieval mausoleums of Yeddi Gumbaz on the outskirts, and the road that climbs towards Lahij through a landscape of ravines and beech forests. For those travelling between Baku and northern Azerbaijan, Shamakhi is a natural stop that warrants staying a night.

Shamakhi was for centuries the capital of the kingdom of Shirvan, one of the most powerful states in the medieval Caucasus. Its position on the routes between the Caspian, Persia and the Caucasus made it an active commercial hub that attracted successive Arab, Mongol and Timurid invasions. The earthquakes of 1667 and 1902 caused enormous damage and forced the relocation and reconstruction of entire sections of the urban fabric. During the tsarist era it served as a provincial capital; today it is the administrative centre of the Shamakhi rayon and retains some administrative weight in the Shirvan region.

• Juma Mosque Considered the oldest mosque in Azerbaijan, in the heart of Shamakhi; its courtyard of centuries-old mulberry trees invites visitors to sit between the midday prayers. Free admission.
• Yeddi Gumbaz mausoleums Seven eighteenth-century funerary domes on the outskirts of town, surrounded by cypress trees. Quiet and uncrowded most of the time; afternoon light suits them well.
• Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory About 25 km from town along a mountain road, at 1,435 metres altitude. The sunset view extends over the Caspian plains; on clear winter nights the sky is exceptionally clean.
• Local Madrasa wineries Small producers making Madrasa and Rkatsiteli without ceremony. Asking at the central market is the best way to find them; prices are far lower than in Baku.
• Route to Lahij The road that climbs from Shamakhi towards the craft village of Lahij passes through ravines and beech forests worth the journey in their own right, even without reaching the destination.

Photo gallery

Shamakhi is 122 km from Baku on the E60 motorway, around 90–120 minutes by car. Several daily services depart from Baku Bus Station; the ticket costs around 4–5 manat and the journey takes between one and a half and two hours. There are also marshrutka connections from Ismayilli. Coming from the north, the route from Sheki or Ganja passes through Göyçay and Ismayilli.

The best period is April to June: the landscape is green, temperatures range between 15 and 25 degrees and the vineyards are in full activity. September is equally good, with the harvest under way and moderate heat. July and August are warm, though the altitude softens temperatures somewhat compared to the Caspian coast. In winter Shamakhi can be blanketed in dense fog for days and occasional snow; the Astrophysical Observatory compensates with very clear night skies.