The Ensemble of the Shirvanshahs’ Palace

The Shirvanshahs’ Palace ensemble is the biggest monument of the Shirvan-Apsheron branch of the Azerbaijani architecture. In the XV century following the rise of economic and political importance of Baku, which was one of the strongly fortified fortresses and the main port in the Caspian, Khalulullah, the Shah of Shirvan, transferred the Shirvanshahs’ residence from Shamakhy to Baku. In connection with the flood of the Sabail fortress the construction of a new palace was carried out in a new safe place on the top of the Baku hill. The ensemble was not built according to a single architectural project and consists of a range of constructions located in accordance with the relief on three levels: the main building of the palace (the 1420s), Divankhana (the 1450s), the burial-vaults – (1435), the shah’s mosque with a minaret (1441), Seyid Yahya Bakuvi’s mausoleum (the 1450s) and the remnants of the Keyguba mosque. The palace constructions include a portal in the east – Murad’s gate (1585), a reservoir and the remnants of the bath-house. According to some data to the north-east of the palace building there formerly used to be the shah’s stables, but at present there are living houses in this place. To the north of Divankhana in one of the living houses one can see the foundation of the surviving ancient wall, the laying of which is similar to the laying of the palace facade. This seems to be the remnants of the laying of the buildings belonging to the palace ensemble.In 1964 the complex was declared a museum-reserve and was taken under the state protection.

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1. Palace Building

2. Divankhana

3. The Shah’s Mosque

4. The Shirvanshahs' Burial-vaults

5. The Bath-house

6. Seyid Yahya Bakuvi’s mausoleum

7. The Eastern Portal