Silk Roads and Caravanserais: Cities Shaped by Trade Routes

Five architectural schools: Shirvan-Absheron (limestone, stone carving with 4-5 cm relief), Nakhchivan (Ajami: brick with glazed tiles), Tabriz, Aran (Ganja, Barda, Beylagan), and regional variants. The architectural pinnacle of the Renaissance period is represented by the works of Ajami Nakhchivani, which are currently included on the UNESCO Representative List.

Iconic monuments include the Shirvanshahs’ Palace Complex (UNESCO site, three courtyards with 5.6m elevation differences), the Maiden Tower (29.5 m tall, 5m-thick walls at base), Momine Khatun Mausoleum (1186).

Medieval urban planning encompassed a citadel at centre, shahristan (urban district), sophisticated water management with ovdans (reservoirs) and kyhryza (underground pipes), and caravanserais for merchants.

Defensive architecture featured 12th century walls 8-10m high, 3.5m thick with semi-circular towers; religious tolerance allowed mosques, churches and synagogues to coexist. Over 500 historical monuments are preserved within the 22-hectare Icherisheher.