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| Icherisheher | |
|---|---|
| Name | Icherisheher |
| Native name | İçərişəhər |
| Country | Azerbaijan |
| City | Baku |
| Established | 12th century |
| Area km2 | 0.7 |
| Population | 2,000 (approx.) |
| Coordinates | 40°22′N 49°52′E |
Icherisheher is the historic core of Baku and the old walled city on the Absheron Peninsula, encompassing a dense ensemble of medieval fortifications, palaces, mosques, and caravanserais. The quarter forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site and intersects with institutions such as the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the State Historical-Architectural Reserve. Its long history connects to empires and polities including the Safavid dynasty, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the modern Republic of Azerbaijan.
The site developed from medieval trading and defensive needs under dynasties like the Shirvanshahs and interactions with maritime powers such as the Ottoman Empire and the Persian Empire (Safavid dynasty). Fortifications expanded after incursions by the Mongol Empire and during rivalries involving the Qajar dynasty and the Russian Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 19th century the oil boom associated with entrepreneurs like Nobel family and administrators from Imperial Russia transformed peripheral districts around the old city while the core retained its medieval fabric. During the 20th century the area experienced restoration and reinterpretation under the Soviet Union and later conservation initiatives by the Republic of Azerbaijan and international organizations including UNESCO.
The enclave sits on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea within the city limits of Baku and on the Absheron Peninsula, adjacent to districts such as Sabail District and faces features like the Baku Boulevard and the Baku Bay. The internal urban plan comprises concentric fortification rings with the principal curtain wall, towers, gates and inner streets radiating toward nodes such as the Shirvanshahs' Palace complex and market courtyards. Topography includes coastal terraces and a skyline punctuated by minarets, the Maiden Tower silhouette, and proximate modern landmarks like the Flame Towers, Heydar Aliyev Center, and the Baku Crystal Hall.
The urban fabric contains monuments from medieval to early modern periods: the Maiden Tower (Giz Galasi), the Shirvanshahs' Palace with its mausoleum and divanhane, and surviving civic structures including caravanserais, hammams, and bathhouses linked to baths elsewhere in Baku. Religious buildings encompass mosques such as the Juma Mosque of Baku and mausoleums associated with figures like Abbasgulu agha Bakikhanov and Sufi orders connected to broader networks including the Naqshbandi order. Defensive works include walls, the main gateway often compared to other Caucasian fortifications like those in Derbent and Sheki Khanate centers. Residential architecture shows traditional Absheron stone masonry techniques resembling vernacular examples found in Shaki and Gabala. Restoration projects have engaged architects who referenced principles from conservation charters similar to the Venice Charter.
The site’s inscription as a World Heritage Site triggered programs by UNESCO and the ICOMOS network to manage conservation, while national bodies such as the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Committee on Property Issues oversee regulatory frameworks. Scholarly work from institutions including the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts and the Azerbaijan State Museum of History informs policies, with collaborations involving foreign partners like the British Council and cultural diplomacy projects tied to festivals referencing the Baku International Jazz Festival. Conservation debates have engaged NGOs and international experts over adaptive reuse, archaeological investigation, and heritage tourism pressures, especially after high-profile restoration phases in the 2000s and 2010s.
The district lies within Baku’s municipal boundaries and the Sabail District (Baku) administrative framework, with local governance coordinated by city authorities and municipal councils. Historically populated by craftsmen, merchants and families linked to trade routes, the contemporary resident profile includes cultural professionals, caretakers, and small-business proprietors employed in hospitality and museum services. Population trends reflect urban conservation policies, property restitution and tourism-driven housing conversions, interacting with national legislation such as laws on cultural monuments issued by the Milli Majlis (Parliament of Azerbaijan).
Economic activity centers on heritage tourism, cultural institutions, museums, galleries, and hospitality businesses catering to visitors attracted by landmarks like the Maiden Tower and the Shirvanshahs' Palace. The local economy interfaces with national tourism promotion by agencies such as the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and firms in the hospitality sector including hotels near Baku Boulevard and cruise operators on the Caspian Sea. Events connected to Eurovision Song Contest 2012 and international conferences have broadened visitor flows, while partnerships with private investors and conservation foundations influence merchandising, craft workshops, and guided-tour enterprises.
Access is provided via municipal transport networks of Baku including city bus routes, the Baku Metro with nearby stations, taxi services, and pedestrianized streets within the walled area. Connections to regional nodes include the Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport and the Baku railway station, while maritime links operate from terminals on Baku Bay for Caspian routes. Urban planning measures balance visitor circulation with conservation, drawing on models from historic centers such as Dubrovnik and Old Town (Tallinn) to regulate vehicular access, sightseeing buses, and pedestrian zones.
Category:Historic districts in Azerbaijan Category:World Heritage Sites in Azerbaijan