-
Gobustan Rock Art - Total driving distance is about 120 km (to and from Gobustan), approximately 2 hours driving time. Itinerary:
• Gobustan Petroglyphs Museum and Gobustan rock engravings (carvings)
In 2007 Gobustan was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered to be of “outstanding universal value” for its rock art engravings, collection of rock art images presents for hunting, fauna, flora, and lifestyles in pre-historic times and for the cultural continuity between prehistoric and medieval times.
• Mud Volcanoes
Over a thousand mud volcanoes are known to exist in the world, and some 400 of those are in the coastal area of Azerbaijan. Every 20 years or so, one of these mud/gas volcanoes will ignite deep below the surface and create a massive explosion. While generally not dangerous to people, as they are far outside of most city centers, it is believed that six shepherds and over 2,000 sheep were killed by a mud volcano in Bozdagh, Azerbaijan.
• Bibi Heybet Mosque
The Bibi-Heybat Mosque includes the tomb of Ukeyma Khanum (a descendant of Muhammad), and today is the spiritual center for the Muslims of the region and one of the major monuments of Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan.
The mosque at the beginning of the 20th century. Left to right: Arcade (behind the minaret is visible), the tomb and new mosque building. The latter two were built in 1911.
The old mosque was situated in the southern part of the tomb, while there was a 20-meter high minaret in the west part of the mosque. Later a crypt and two niches were added to the mosque to the south of the minaret. On the niches, there were inscriptions containing the name of Fatali Khan, whose tombstone marble slab is now in the Azerbaijan State Museum of History.
From 1305 to 1313, Mahmud Ibn Saad built the mosque’s minarets. The top of the thread and stalactites, raised by a small pillar, surmounted by a semicircular dome of Rebrov. Railing minarets were patterned with stone grill. Graphic studies showed that the height of the minaret was about 22 m.
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- National Park fees
- Lunch
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
We will take a journey to the Gobustan National Park and Museum, located roughly 40 miles (64 km) southwest of central Baku, situated on the western coast of the Caspian Sea, to view the age-old petroglyphs. Gobustan is thought to be one of the birthplaces of civilization, given the discovery of ancient rock carvings that trace back to the 12-8th century B.C.
Moreover, during our tour to Gobustan, we will stop by an active mud volcano site. On our return, we have the opportunity to explore Bibi Heybet Mosque, a reconstructed version of the original mosque of the same name that was built in the 13th century, but was entirely demolished by the Bolsheviks in 1936.
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
