Shamakhi

Shamakhi town is the administrative center of the district. Shamakhi district is a top center of Azerbaijani winegrowing. Surrounding hills produced famous wines and cognacs.

     

Overview

Shamakhi is a town located  135 km west from Baku on southeast foothills of the Greater Caucasus and has population over 97 thousand people. Shamakhi town is the administrative center of the district. Shamakhi district is a top center of Azerbaijani winegrowing. Surrounding hills produced famous wines and cognacs. Shamakhi wines are popular not only at local markets. They have also been getting awards at international exhibitions for quite a long time.

History

Present Shamakhi district is the center of the ancient Shirvan, the former state of Shirvanshahs, a historical area of Azerbaijan. The name of the town was first mentioned by the ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy in the 2nd century. In the IX century Shamakhi became the capital of the State of Shirvanshahs’ and was an important cultural and trading center

The town has a glorious but tragic history -sadly, earthquakes, fire and invasions have left virtually nothing visible to remind the visitor of Şamaxı’s past importance. However, Shamakhi residents always found strength to restore the town and their lives. Presently, there are plenty of antique remainders around Shamakhi.

Climate and landscape

Climate is predominantly temperate with dry summers. Landscape is diverse – steppes alternate foothill meadows and forests and the higher above sea level the colder is autumn and the later melts the snow. Overall, however, the climate is mild, soil is fertile and flora and fauna are rich. There are roes, wild boars, wild cats, foxes, wolves, bears and many species of birds. Deciduous forests of hornbeams, beeches and oaks, verdure of the meadows covered in scarlet poppies in spring are a sheer eye candy. There are over 50 species of herbal plants growing in the area.

Sights

Historical sights of the region include Dzhuma Mosque (8th-19th centuries), the mausoleums of Pirmardakan (13th-14th centuries), and Shakhandan (17th century), a complex of seven mausoleums named Eddi Gumbez (18th century), remainders of the legendary fortress Kalai-Bugurt near a mountain village of the same name – the fortress looks somehow attached to a steep rock.

Mausoleum Yeddi-Gumbyaz name translates as monument of seven domes [Azeri. yeddi-seven, gümbəz- dome]. Before beginning XX century  in this place were seven mausoleums. They were  ordered to build for himself and his family  by last Shamakhi Khan Mustafa in the end of the XVIII century.  An earthquake in 1902 destroyed almost all the tombs, menhirs (high tombstones) lopsided. Mausoleum , where buried the Shah and his wife survived.

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