Yanar Dag, Ateshgah Fire Temple, Icheri Sheher Maiden Tower, Palace of the Shirvanshahs etc.
The Absheron and Old Baku Tour is a journey through time as you wander through Zoroastrian temples, medieval palace quarters, Silk Road caravanserais and innovative displays of modernism throughout the Absheron Peninsula and Baku’s Icheri Sheher old town. Topping it all off is the eternally burning mountainside of Yanar Dag, a surreal spectacle sure to add spark to your travels.
Absheron Peninsula is distinguished for its historic Ateshgah Fire Temple, appropriately erected near the ever-burning mountain of Yanar Dag, whose flames are a nod to both ancient fire worship and the petroleum industry which has ushered Azerbaijan into modern wealth. No less significant are the cultural riches of Maiden Tower, Juma Mosque and Palace of the Shirvanshahs found in the old quarters of nearby Baku.
Tour Itinerary
Your guide and driver will pick you up from your Baku hotel to begin your tour:
Drive to Absheron (25km, 45min) to visit Yanar Dag (Burning Mountain), a natural gas fire which has been burning for thousands of years due to the large reservoir of gas under the Absheron Peninsula.
Drive (20km, 30min) toAteshgah Fire Temple (dates vary), a historic center of Zoroastrian worship and philosophical teaching.
Return to Baku (18km, 25min) and visit Heydar Aliyev Center (2012), a futuristic cultural complex renowned for its symbolic and unusual architecture.
Continue your private tour in Old Baku (Icheri Sheher) to see several historical monuments:
Maiden Tower(date unconfirmed), an ancient fortress believed to have once been a fire temple, it is now a city symbol which affords a great view of Baku from the top.
Palace of the Shirvanshahs(15th century), a UNESCO ensemble and Azerbaijan’s finest example of medieval architecture, it includes a mosque, bathhouse and entrance gates.
Multani Caravanserai (15th century), built as a haven for Indian merchants and fire worshipers hailing from the city of Multan in present-day Pakistan.
Juma Mosque(12th century, rebuilt 1899), defined by intricate stone carvings and an adjacent 14th-century minaret, it was constructed on the site of a Zoroastrian temple.
Market Square (17th century), a plaza filled with winding streets and shops selling carpets, souvenirs and antiques.
Transfer to the hotel. End of Absheron and Old Baku Tour.