Discover the Mountain City of Sheki, Azerbaijan, Sheki, Azerbaijan

In the foothills of Azerbaijan’s Greater Caucasus, you’ll find an adorable mountain community with a long history. Between the stunning views, the elaborate Khan’s Palace, and the city’s wonderful historic centre, we think you’ll love discovering the sites in the mountain city of Sheki.

It was originally settled in the 8th century BCE by the Sakas from Persia. After them, the rulers of Sheki changed hands several times. By the 1st century AD, Sheki was one of the largest towns in Caucasian Albanian territory. In the 800s, the Caucasian Albanians were replaced by the Arabs, Mongols and then Shirvanshahs, who we first learned about in Baku. Foreign invaders continued through the Middle Ages and included Amir Temur from Uzbekistan. Sheki came under Persia’s Sheki Khanate in 1747, but in the 1800s, the Khan asked Russia to help protect it from invaders. This led to it being a part of Russia and then eventually, the Soviet Union.

Note - Caucasian Albanian translates in English to either ‘land of the brave’ or ‘white man’, depending on your source. They have nothing to do with the country Albania.

In the 18th century a large mudslide devastated Sheki, and the city had to be rebuilt. As a result, not much of this extensive history can be seen and the old city we see today is primarily 18th-20th century architecture. This relatively newer old town though, has an old soul. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).