EXCURSION TO SHEKI

  Sheki is considered one of the main tourist centers of Azerbaijan. The region in which the northern capital of the country is located (this is how local residents call Sheki) are mountains and intermountain valleys, cut by gorges with numerous springs, streams, waterfalls. All this beauty is framed by a green carpet from dense forests and alpine meadows. It is no coincidence that a man has long taken a liking to the local places, here one of the oldest parking places of a man in the Caucasus (their age is 2500 years old) is found. A rich historical heritage, a lot of architectural monuments, an abundance of stunningly beautiful landscapes – for this first of all tourists go to Sheki. And more, to buy the products of local artisans, the glory of which rattled already in the heyday of the Great Silk Road.
  Among the abundance of architectural and historical sights of Sheki it is difficult to choose the most significant. But still the main symbol of the city is the Palace of Sheki Khans. It was built in the late 18th century without a single nail. A small two-story mansion was once part of a huge complex and served as the residence of Sheki khans. Its facade is painted with drawings of hunting scenes and military battles, plant and geometric patterns. In the center there is a huge window-stained-glass window from a multicolor glass mosaic “Shebeke”. Nearby are the remains of the fortification wall of the 18th century, preserved in its original form.
  Sheki in the Middle Ages was considered a city of merchants and artisans, which was facilitated by the location on the Great Silk Road. So it is not surprising that apart from apartment houses and shops, the village’s landscape was also formed by caravanserais. At first, their number was measured in tens, in the 19th century there were five. Today, only two caravan-sheds, Upper and Lower, have survived in the city.
  One of the most famous religious sites in the city is the Khan Mosque of 1745-1750. the buildings. It is built from local building materials: river stone, burnt brick, lime, oak, hazel, poplar. The interior of the temple is quite simple, except for the multicolored window-panels. Near the mosque is a cemetery with ancient tombstones, where the Sheki Khans and their relatives are buried.
  The peaks of the Greater Caucasus, located in the vicinity of Sheki, reach 3000-3500 m. They reliably protect the city from strong winds. It is almost never hot due to the high forest cover, which prevents overheating of the earth’s surface. The best time for a trip will be summer – warm comfortable weather is suitable for long walks around the city and the surrounding area.