Walled City of Baku

Walled City of Baku. The Walled City of Baku, known locally as İçərişəhər, is the historic core and oldest part of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Situated on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, this ancient fortress city contains layers of history from the Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arab, Shirvanshah, Persian, Russian, and Soviet periods. Its preserved defensive walls enclose a labyrinth of narrow streets, historic mosques, caravanserais, and bathhouses, dominated by the iconic Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.

History

The area has evidence of inhabitation dating back to the Paleolithic era, with significant development occurring under the Sasanian Empire and later the Shirvanshah dynasty, which made Baku its capital in the 12th century. The city's fortifications were substantially strengthened during the reigns of Shirvanshah rulers like Manuchehr III and later under the Safavid dynasty to protect against naval attacks from the Caspian Sea. It served as a vital port on the Silk Road and was contested by regional powers including the Shirvanshahs, the Safavids, and the Ottoman Empire. In 1806, during the Russo-Persian War (1804–1813), it was annexed by the Russian Empire, leading to expansion outside its walls. The city survived major events like the March Days massacres in 1918 and was the scene of fighting during the Battle of Baku.

Architecture and layout

The city is enclosed by robust, well-preserved defensive walls, originally built in the 12th century and reinforced in the 19th century, featuring characteristic Absheron limestone. The internal layout is a dense, irregular network of narrow alleys and dead-end streets typical of medieval Near Eastern urban planning, designed for shade and defense. Key architectural elements include traditional Azerbaijani residential houses with inner courtyards and iwans, numerous caravanserais like the Bukhara Caravanserai, and ancient underground bathhouses such as the Haji Gayib Bathhouse. The urban fabric clearly delineates the older, pre-Russian core from later expansions.

Major monuments

The most prominent landmark is the enigmatic Maiden Tower, a cylindrical structure from the 12th century (or earlier) whose original purpose—whether as a Zoroastrian temple, observatory, or fortress—remains debated. The 15th-century Palace of the Shirvanshahs, a complex built under Shirvanshah Khalilullah I, includes a divankhana, a mosque with a minaret, a mausoleum, and the Bailov Stone inscription. Significant religious structures include the Muhammad Mosque with its Sindhi-inscribed minaret from 1078, the Juma Mosque, and the Lezgi Mosque. Other notable sites are the Baku Fortress Wall gates, the House of Baku Khans, and the Agha Mikayil Bathhouse.

Conservation and UNESCO status

The site was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 under the title "Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshahs' Palace and Maiden Tower". However, it was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2003 following severe damage from the 2000 Baku earthquake and due to concerns over urban development pressures, restoration practices, and the loss of authentic fabric. Intensive conservation efforts led by the Azerbaijani government and the Ministry of Culture, in consultation with ICOMOS and the World Heritage Committee, resulted in its removal from the endangered list in 2009. Ongoing management is guided by a specific State Historical-Architectural Reserve.

Cultural significance

İçərişəhər is a foundational symbol of Azerbaijani national identity, continuously inhabited for centuries and depicted in literature, poetry, and visual arts, including works by Azerbaijani writers and the famed painter Sattar Bahlulzade. It serves as a vibrant living community and a major tourist attraction, hosting cultural festivals and events. The site has also been a location for several films, most notably the 1979 Soviet comedy The Diamond Arm, which featured scenes shot within its walls. Its architecture and urban form provide crucial evidence of the historical cultural interchange between Zoroastrian, Islamic, and Caucasian influences in the region.