For bright pictures in Baku. Lost in Icheri-Sheher

Vintage cities are usually small, so a walking walk is the best opportunity to feel their atmosphere. Do not build a route, but to surrender to the will and slowly go through the ancient, Herried-distressed cobblestones, touching the walls, walking on the balconies, looking into the shops and cafes on two tables, from where you stretch the smearing flavors of hot baking.

And to stay in such a place, it means to afford some time to stay in another time and measurement. That is why when traveling to Baku, we decided to stay in the most ancient part of it – Icheri-Sheher.

"The inner city" ("old") or fortress is located in the center of a multi-million megalopolis, which through the high-rise-new buildings is increasingly and is tightly selected to the old buildings, surrounding them with a noisy stream of machines. And in the depths of Icheri-Sheher – silence. Justa – Talling on the gate, central streets and at top places, like the Shirvanshakh Palace or the Girl Tower.

The territory of the ancient city is surrounded by a wall. In addition to the fact that it is the boundary of the fortress (a very good landmark – knowing about it, it is difficult to get lost), it also presents cultural significance – one of the architectural monuments Icheri-Sheher, included in 2000 in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Of course, on the first day we slowly walked along the fortress. They got lost in narrow labyrinths of the streets; about the wall, as a guideline, then not yet thought. On the way, one of the oldest mosques of the city (1078 g), the Embassy of Italy, a cozy store of sweets, where we were treated with delicious tea from mountain herbs, and a street called tourists "Damn timing!". Here in 1968, the famous scene of the fall of Semyonovich Gorbunkov seeds (Yuri Nikulina) was filmed from the film "Diamond Hand".

I realized that with Icheri-Sheher, it is impossible to independently get acquainted in one day that autistic places and mysterious stories attached in the quarter, the desire to hear the alternate story about him.

Retell all our journey through Icheri-Sheher is unreal, but here are some curious facts. Immediately make a reservation, acquaintance with him, it is better to start with the central gate, known as Shemakhinsky gates or "paired fortress gate". From them on a big fortress street (it is basic) in the direction of the girl’s tower you can walk along the bottom of the fortress, inspect the platinum site in front of the tower. Earlier, there was a market square in this place, as a result of archaeological excavations, ancient Khanaka Sheikh Tair was discovered. Now here is the open-air museum, which presents monuments of the idolatry period of stone sculptures and tombstones.

In this place of the Old Town is always crowded due to a brisk trading, many street guides, convenient access to the seaside embankment, cafe … Passing past the tower, you can look into the former caravan-shed, and now an autistic restaurant, inspect the mosque. And then either move along the fortress wall, looking into the lulls – Zakoleos, or immediately roll into the depths of the quarter, which is fraught with a short, but curious wandering ..

You can choose another route. From Shemakhin gates, bypassing the information center, turn right and, bypassing the Mangal restaurant (and you can also look around – they have friendly staff), go along the fortress wall in the upper part of the old city. Very soon on the way there will be the Palace of Shirvanshakhov, defensive structures of the wall, the artist’s workshop Ali Shamsi.

Yes, and come back Curious facts.

Furious winds and a hot summer have identified a special building of the fortress. Spiral layout of streets, narrow deadlocks and alleys in winter quilting the gusts of wind-hazri, and in the summer it gives coolness and shadow due to the roofs and walls of 2-3-storey houses.

On the Shemakhin gate of the coat of arms of the state Shirvanshakhov. Bull head and two lions. It is the official symbolism Icheri-Sheher. It is said that the bull symbolizes the old city itself, and the lions – the impregnable fortress walls guarding the city.

A copy of the Maiden Tower, one of the informal symbols of Baku, which is enveloped by the legends and secrets of the construction, is among world exhibits of attractions in the Austrian Park miniature minimundus.

The historical and architectural museum-reserve "Complex Palace of Shirvanshakh" stretches at three terraces towering over each other. This huge complex, if you are interested in the purpose of buildings and their story – from the palace to the Mausoleum, from the mosque to the bath, – it is better to view with the guide.

The only place of meetings and communication of women in ancient times was the bath, or rather Hamam. Hike in Hamam was an event, so they put on their best decorations and outfits, came here with food and children. Between the procedures was carried out long tea drinking, conversations – discussions and demonstration of "Fashion New products" and gifts of men. Sometimes there were even arranged girls on girlfriends.

And, yes, for lovers of paintings, sculptures, collections in Icheri-Sheher is Q Gallery – one of the most famous art galleries Baku. The entrance is free, both for permanent exposures and most exhibitions and events.

And generally speaking, As Taran told, In the old town, many places in which tourists do not look. To see them you need to wander long between narrow alleys, go down to the basements, where the world of Middle Ages opens. For the safety of people, almost all of them are closed from outsided curious views. And some of them are on the territory of private property, where the entrance is prohibited. But, if you walk through an even more inner narrow streets of the Old Town, you can see a lot that interesting … In any case, Icheri-Sheher and today hides a lot of secrets of thousands of years, which to this day are not disclosed.