The main shopping street in the historical and architectural reserve Yukhari Bash.
Yukhari Bash National Historical-Architectural Reserve, which is the historical center and the most ancient part of the Sheki city has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The area of the reserve is 283 hectares.
View of Yukhari Bash (late 19th – early 20th century)
There are many mosques and minarets, caravanserai, a Palace of the Sheki Khans of the 18th-19th centuries, Fortress Walls of the 18th century and other buildings of historical importance in the territory of “Yukhari Bash” State Historical-Architectural Reserve.
SHEKI KHANS’ PALACE
The most marvelous and valuable historical landmark from the 18th century in Azerbaijan is the Sheki Khans’ Palace. It was built in 1752 – 1762 as the summer residence of Hussain – Khan Mushtad, grandson of the great Haji Chelebi. The facade of the Palace is painted with narrative drawings depicting scenes of hunting and war, as well as geometric and floral patterns. The windows of the Palace are made of small pieces of glass (up to 5000 glasses were used in each square window). The Palace was built of raw brick, river stone, plane tree and oak.
There are 6 rooms, 4 corridors and 2 mirrored balconies in the Sheki Khans’ Palace. Each room of the Palace differs from one another and each is artfully decorated. Walls and ceilings are painted with miniatures: mythical birds in a garden of paradise, with unusual flowers and animals.
The famous Turkish poet and novelist of the 20th century Nazim Hikmet, who visited Sheki, wrote: “If there were no other ancient structures of Azerbaijan, it would be enough to show only the Palace of Sheki Khans to the whole world “.
SHEKI FORTRESS WALLS
Sheki Fortress is located in the north – east of the city. The Fortress was built during the reign of the first Sheki Khan Haji Chelebi (1743-1755). The height of the Fortress above sea level is 750 meters in the south. The total length of the Fortress Wall outside is 1300 meters, its height in the northern part is 4 meters, in the southern 8 meters. The thickness of the wall is 2.20 meters. From the north and south, the Fortress is closed with arched gates, along the wall there are 21 defensive towers. The wall and towers of the Fortress have come down to us ruined. In 1958-1963 the Fortress was restored. The Fortress is part of the historical and architectural complex “Yukhari Bash”.
MINARET OF THE GILEYLI MOSQUE
This monument dating back to the 18th century. Unfortunately, the mosque has not survived to the present day and only the Minaret is under state protection.
Among the 14 khanates that were formed in the middle of the 18th century, the Sheki Khanate was the first to become independent. Sheki Khanate was one of the strongest khanates of Azerbaijan. Sheki city played an important role in the economic and cultural life of Azerbaijan. Sheki Khan Haji Chelebi built public buildings in Sheki, such as a mosque, a madrasa and bath. For this reason, Sheki is rich in ancient architecture and historical monuments. Bath built in 18th-19th centuries also exists in Sheki. There are Agvanlar bath, Abdulkhalik bath, Abdulsalam bath, Dere bath in “Yukhari Bash ” State Historical-Architectural Reserve.
