Focusing on Azerbaijan

10 www.irs-az.com Fadela Bird Algerian journalist DISCOVERING AZERBAIJAN

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The trip to Azerbaijan orga- nized recently by Dar El Athar Al Islamiyyah has been a great deal of fun. We had a vague idea about the country’s historical past but were eager to discover this new destination.

fter arrival at the hotel, we were offered a beautifully Aprinted program, listing each event of the next nine days we were about to share with three members of the AzDipServis staff. First, we were taken for a short drive along the main road discovering, with the help of our guide, the old and new Baku, public gardens, the Government Palace, a string of different styles of architec- ture, medieval walls, luxurious build- ings and the magnificent view of the Sea and an Ottoman mosque with its to enter through their geometri- Caspian Sea. The planned program typical slim minarets. cal framework. Although they were was intriguing. Azerbaijan, known The roads in Baku, which means empty, we easily imagined the lav- to us as a crossroads along the Silk a City of Winds, are filled with olive, ish rugs, silk cushions and finest cur- Road, has been embellished from maple, pine and eucalyptus trees. tains described by our guide. Built the Muslim Era to the modern times. A couple of centuries ago, the No- between the 15th and 16th centuries, Several political changes, some pain- bel brothers decided that the bare the property was used as family ful, have affected the country since land has to be covered with soil and quarters and as an important official the break-up of the spices road trade. plants brought here in exchange for residence. The architect included a Different types of architecture spoke low tax. With the rise of the oil trade, bath-hammam and an underground silently of past occupations. Friends wealthy entrepreneurs started to reservoir. In those days water was a or foes, those contributions gave us build houses in the European and scarce commodity, so the system a hint of their impact. Today we were modern style. Despite the changes, was a practical contribution for the in a free country, ready to absorb all the old city still stands proudly, rec- needs of a huge household. the information given to us. ognized by UNESCO as part of the The nearby miniature book mu- After a copious breakfast on the World Heritage List and a major tour- seum exhibits unusual items com- first day, a coach took us to the Al- ist attraction. We walked through the posed by artists, mostly anonymous, ley of Martyrs and the Alley of Honor, 12th century ancient wall to discover who wrote verses of the Koran, his- where celebrated figures are buried. the Shirvanshah Palace built for the tory or poems in tiniest letters as We were given red carnations before 35th Shah. Our feet got to sample the small as a dot! We were curious to entering a garden filled with colorful cobbled pavement before reaching get a close look at such a working tulips, daisies and magnificent pine the gracious courtyard of the palace. dedication. A hundred meters away, trees. Our guide explained the role From the garden, we could see be- in a caravanserai restaurant, we were of important men and women who low a private mosque with a modest welcomed by a group of musicians have dedicated their life to arts, sci- minaret and a mausoleum before playing traditional Azerbaijani music ences or freedom of the country. We entering the dwelling made of sand as we entered. We sampled our first were overwhelmed by the peace- stone. Enriched with 52 rooms, each meal made of fresh herbs, vegeta- ful effect of the site and took many one was embellished by pointed bles and grilled meat – delicious! photos. A walk up the hill brought arch windows, protected by wooden We carried on with a walk into us facing the silver looking Caspian lattices and allowing natural light the old city. We loved those first floor

12 www.irs-az.com dwellings ranged next to one an- tective shields seen from far away. other along narrow streets. We could Azerbaijani authorities have see, above our heads, balconies built worked wonders in creating many in the Ottoman style and incredible museums to preserve their national carvings on the top of some win- legacy. The country offers more than dows. We were allowed to have a a hundred of them. We met a group look at an indoor courtyard which of children as we entered the State was shared by occupants of flats. We Museum of Azerbaijani Carpets and stopped at a fruiterer to look at his Applied Arts. On the first floor, we tiny shop selling a plenty of down- were taken aback by the wealth of to-earth goods. We admired the care woven rugs carefully hung on the and love with which local residents walls. Weavers are usually unknown have treated this location surround- but the patterns remain often identi- ed by modern Baku. The 12-centu- cal according to the region. The cura- ries-old city was, after all, the heart of tor kindly explained the meaning of Baku. Small mosques and five bath- piles, colors, motifs and techniques, houses provided all that was needed. pointing out differences between The mysterious Maiden Tower kept Kilim, Tabriz and basic rugs. In the us intrigued. Judging by its share, it olden days, people used them daily must have served as an enormous in their households. We were told observatory. The medieval site car- that one lived on a carpet and died ries so many centuries of history! The on one too! Decorated costumes, city was well defended with its pow- jewelry and objects of daily life were erful walls appearing like strong pro- a feast to our eyes. We did not miss www.irs-az.com 13 Focusing on Azerbaijan

The Bibi-Heybat mosque

Baku harbor. The proximity of the long boulevard to the Caspian Sea was so inviting that some of us walked back to the hotel. We were not tourists but people who enjoyed a night sea breeze – it felt like home. On Friday, we were already look- ing forward to more discoveries. This one, the 13th century Bibi-Hey- The State Philharmonic Hall bat Mosque, has been restored to the highest standard. We walked through a huge courtyard before entering this mausoleum. Golden and silver decorations along the walls covered with green tiles con- trasted with the gentle atmosphere of the well-wishers praying in si- the Theatre Museum upstairs which and Majun is a love story hugely rec- lence. Above the mausoleum, under deserved recognition for the artists ognized as a masterpiece. its enormous dome, the dark green who were inspired by stories, poetry We completed our day by an tiles shone softly. The Islamic stylistic or local and international music. Leyli agreeable dinner on a boat in the genre of the décor reminded us of

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how small a world could be when art surprised the onlooker with the sil- travels. ver dome set between two narrow We were then taken to the Go- towers. Inside, we walked into a con- bustan archeological site located at cert hall with an elaborate gilded the foot of the Caucasian mountains roof and seats cleverly positioned in and recognized as one of the oldest a semicircle. As soon as the dances settlements in history. It surprised us started, we were engulfed in an ar- immensely. The sight of huge uneven tistic pleasure, admiring the long rocks justified the explanation of their floating dresses and head scarves of age of a million years! We watched the girls moving with gracious ges- different engravings depicting men tures. As for men, their different cos- and animals at different periods. Fur- tumes made them look both fierce ther up, there were Roman and Arabic and handsome. Their battle with inscriptions. Our guide showed us im- real swords required a lot of dexter- portant findings like bones, remains ity. What a skill! We appreciated the of food tucked in a corner and the performance of musicians playing amazing close up of a graffiti reflect- traditional instruments. Many of us ing a dance or collective hunting. We tapped their feet on the floor while were all impressed. the music was played. Needless to In the evening we were invited say that our group joined the crowd to the State Philharmonic Hall to at- wanting to take pictures of the su- tend a folk performance. This hall, perb artists. built in the renaissance style in 1912, A visit to the modern museum www.irs-az.com 15 Focusing on Azerbaijan

train from the delightful architectur- al railway station in Baku. After set- tling in our cabins, we were excited like a bunch of schoolchildren. We were offered drinks by a female at- tendant before falling asleep under the soothing motion of the train.

The Shaki Khan Palace Our guide awoke us around 6 a.m. the next morning. Some of us im- mediately glued their noise to the windows, admiring the spectacular scenery of the green land with early morning shepherds and flocks. How refreshing it was to look at acres of hills and a narrow river! We were in the heart of a country which has kept its landscape in a prime condition, al- most untouched by civilization. planned for the next day was some- kilometers away the city. Arab ge- On our arrival, we were wel- thing we didn’t know what to expect ographer Ibn Ilyas wrote in the 16th comed by a local mayor and driven from. On the outside, this ordinary century “... a mile from Baku there is to the hotel. A rich breakfast was construction did not appear very ap- a place with fire burning without waiting for us, followed by a visit to pealing. But as soon as we entered, torches...”. Azerbaijan used to be the silk manufacturer. The provider of the modern building embraced us. known as a country of fire. Naturally, silk breeding, threads, fabric and car- The rooms seemed disconnected it attracted a group of Indian visitors pets, this industry is highly respected from each other but still united in who built a caravanserai as a pilgrim- because of its links with the Great Silk white, a color of purity! The center age site in the 15th century, introduc- Road. Naturally it was no surprise to court, covered with a glass roof, had ing Zoroastrian religion. We entered hear that Shaki still carries on the old definitely an Oriental touch many of the site composed of 26 rooms for tradition. Sitting in an area filled with us were used to. We loved it! We ad- guests. In the middle of the court- magnificent trees and backed by a mired the works of art on display. We yard, an altar projects a small flame, mountain, Shaki is also a pretty place. may not have understood all the dif- which is nowadays lit by gas. In Zo- Its industry maintains a complete set ferent styles but international mas- roastrian religion, fire is a sacred of environmentally friendly prod- terpieces always teach us something symbol. The information displayed ucts. Once we entered a shop, we new. We noted a coffee shop deco- in some rooms highlighted the dif- observed workers, mostly women, rated like a Van Gogh café. A visit to ferent steps of this religion and the checking tiny threads on the bob- the bookstore gave us a chance to way pilgrims lived. There were also bins. We also watched different steps buy some English editions which will symbols, poems and formulas writ- of weaving silk into delightful rugs. make perfect gifts. ten in Sanskrit and illustrating genu- We could not help swarming their We carried on with a visit to the ine beliefs of the time. According to exhibition room! home of the Nobel brothers. In the the old tradition, one who jumps Along the road, we noticed many late 19th century, over a period of over the fire cleanses his health. In lilac trees filled with their purple 10 years, they built factories on oil those days, pilgrims lived in frugality flowers and magnificent irises before fields, creating a real boom in Baku. and simplicity, sharing a shelter like reaching the Shaki Khan Palace. The Their restored mansion is filled with a family. This ancient religion united two story residence was erected in delicate furniture of the time, photos, people of two countries. Today, this 1761. Inside the main rooms, we ad- documents and a prime garden as if historical place is open to visitors. mired the artistic decorations on the they were still living here. Shaki, our next destination, is ceiling and walls. The south-facing The coach then took us to a Zo- located at the foot of the Caucasus stained glass and geometrical panels roastrian fire templeA tashgah a few mountains. We took an overnight forming the windows were letting

16 www.irs-az.com the light enter like a rainbow of col- ors. Around us, we noticed that flow- ers decorated on panels resembled those we saw at the entrance of the town. Plants, fruits and birds were not forgotten. The woodwork and structures of each room reminded us of those seen in Iran and India. We took time to have a closer look at the details of each work of art. Our local guide explained the function of each room and described the illustrations with their historical background. She described the philosophy behind a pomegranate, which was perceived as a symbols of the world, while the inside of it is associated with people (seeds) and society (skin divider). Be- low the ceiling, all around the room, a battle scene depicted men at war but each with unique features. The lack of furniture highlighted conies of individual rooms that ac- recorded. This historical location has the eastern use of low tables, nu- commodate tourists today. Our meal been looked after by the family who merous rugs and cushions, more was served in an long room with a offered this precious monument to comfortable than a stiff chair! The ceiling looking like a vault, perhaps the state. We were welcomed in their architects of this jewel knew how to to keep the heat away. The table was garden with tea and some sweets. bring the best, combining a healthy filled with various dishes. We enjoyed We reached Gabala and checked measure with natural elements, everything that reflects local cuisine. in the Caucasus Resort Hotel after en- low entrances for privacy and large Our host spoke about Shaki and its joying a traditional meal in a nearby wooden windows overlooking the role in present-day society. leisure centre where hot bread was outside garden. Many photos were Before leaving the town the next baked for us. This resort befuddled taken – otherwise how else can one day, we were presented with gifts in us completely. Built in a luxurious ar- remember such detail of a place that an informal reception. As our coach chitectural style, it almost seemed to will never be copied?! drove away, we could not help stop- be out of place. The sheer perfection Outside, we were offered a con- ping by a local shop selling silk, vel- of the service, rooms, restaurants cert by local musicians who used vet, woodcarving and handmade and the sports center are intended amazing stringed instruments (Ud, goods. We bought something to re- for tourists. The privilege of hearing Saz and Kamancha) backed up by member this delightful location. a gentle tickle of a water spring out- singers and lovely dancers. Some of Then a trip was organized to Kish, side our windows would certainly us danced too. The atmosphere was a small village nestled away from enchant the overseas visitors seek- friendly. We all enjoyed the offer of the main road. After crossing a rug- ing a remote location, peace and an tea and sweets. ged road, we discovered a 400-year- enjoyable environment. At night, dinner was hosted in the old Albanian church hidden among We returned to Baku, stopping caravanserai, a 17th century old hotel traditional houses. Its internal archi- in a local restaurant for lunch. Each complex. It has around 300 rooms tectural features and fainted wall restaurant, even in the middle of no- which used to house merchants cen- drawings show the early stage of where, could accommodate many turies ago. Inside, there is an area that Christianity. On the ground, a glass visitors. We considered each restau- used to serve as a shelter for camels protected a burial settlement. Rec- rant as yet another cultural discovery. and horses, as well as a lovely garden ognized as very ancient with giant Centuries of trades along the spice and a fountain. We could see the bal- skeletons, it has been studied and road did spread culinary talents on www.irs-az.com 17 Focusing on Azerbaijan

to remote destinations. The amazing rated restaurant where three young went shopping in the modern part diversity of appetizers in the form of musicians played with utmost talent. of Baku. fresh herbs, olives and vegetables, pi- We had time in the morning to In the evening, we gathered in lafs, garnished chicken, grilled meat visit the Carpet Palace. This Oriental- the lobby of the hotel to say good- and fish were always tasty. Sweets type house has been turned into a bye to our guides. There were 31 of and tea gave us agreeable breaks! gallery selling magnificent rugs. The us, members of the Dar El Athar El Each town visited had something workshop was filled with weavers. Islamiyyah, sharing this incredible special to tickle our curiosity. We were shown natural pigments experience. Behind the trip to Azer- As we reached Baku, we realized used in their modern machines. Out- baijan, there were people in Kuwait that our journey was over. As usual, side, many traditional objects were who deserve our words of apprecia- a lovely dinner was organized for us. laid out by the fountain, illustrating tion for their hard work and help in Our comfortable hotel was close to the craft that is slowly disappearing. coordinating all the minor details. A the center. In the evening, we were The gallery floor was covered with visit to this part of the world filled us invited to the Opera and Ballet The- priceless rugs – unique pieces of with pleasant and delightful surpris- atre to watch Don Quixote. A crowd workmanship no machine can beat. es. For us, Azerbaijan was a missing was already queuing when we ar- We were offered a glossy catalogue thread linking this historical route to rived. Inside, the décor resembled containing detailed explanations. other countries visited previously. that of the early 20th century French We had lunch at the Galereya Res- Was the experiment interesting? Yes, decoration with gilded features taurant where lavish art was present we loved it! and big figures. We watched classi- everywhere from candelabras and cal dancers moving like butterflies piano floor to paintings and statues. under the spell of music. After the This unusual setting did not change ballet, we went to a beautifully deco- the quality of the food. Some of us

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