The Caucasus
The city of Shamakha, 130km (80 miles) west of Baku in the foothills of the Caucasus, predated Baku as the principal trading centre and capital of the Shirvan shahs. Repeated earthquakes, most recently in 1902, and the ravages of invading armies, have destroyed most of the ancient city which was founded in the second century AD. A 10th-century mosque and a ruined fortress dating from the same period, the Seven Domes Royal Mausoleum, and a modern carpet-weaving centre where traditional techniques are demonstrated provide the main focus of tourist interest in the city.
Sheki is located 380km (236 miles) west of Baku close to the Georgian border. Archaeological evidence suggests that the city may be one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus, dating back 2500 years. Tourists can still visit the 18th-century frescoed summer palace and the fortress built by a local warlord who declared Shekhi the capital of an independent khanate. Shekhi was famed for its silk, which is still produced locally, and the bazaars and caravanserais testify to its importance as a trading town. Some of the caravanserais have been restored and now function as hotels and restaurants.
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