12/06/2023
Did you know the history of Baku's most mysterious architectural monument - Maiden Tower ?
Located in the southeastern part of the ancient fortress walls (Icherisheher), near the seaside park, the height of this fortress is 28 meters, the height of the first floor is 16.5 meters, and the thickness of the wall is 5 meters. The inner part of the castle is divided into 8 floors. Each floor is built with hewn stones and covered with a dome-shaped ceiling.
The castle has been functioning as a museum since 1964, and in 2000 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The only entrance to the castle is an arched door on the west side, 2 meters above the ground. Although there are different opinions about the etymology of the name, the closest to the truth is the legend about the girl (according to some authors, the daughter of Baku Khan). According to this legend, the girl who was kept in the castle by her brother (in some sources, the ruler's father) could not bear this suffering and committed su***de by throwing herself from the castle. According to another version, the castle was previously called "Goz Tower", but over time it changed to "Girl Tower".
There are several assumptions about the time of construction. So, in addition to those who claim the age of the monument from the Sumerian period, there are also those who say that it was built in the 12th century. Here, the time difference is not a few years or a century, but more than 3000 years, as in other monuments that do not know the date of construction. In an inscription on the walls of the castle, these words are written in the Arabic alphabet: "The tower of Masud, the son of David." Since the style and lines of the inscription are close to the spring of the 12th century, according to many scholars, the Maiden Tower was built on this very site. Some scholars, on the basis of the fact that the construction materials used are identical to the materials of the monument in Gabala, which was built in the first centuries of the first millennium, help to date the Maiden Tower to antiquity.
There are conflicting opinions about whether the Maiden Tower was built as a defense device, a fire worshiping temple, an eye tower, an observatory, and so on. Based on the structure of the monument, the researchers who traced its history back to ancient times said that the castle was connected with the Zoroastrian hut, the temple of fire worship, the goddesses Mitra and Anahita, and B.C. They say it was built in the VIII-VII centuries.
The Maiden Tower, which was damaged in various battles over the centuries, was gradually restored and served for the defense of the city in the Middle Ages along with the Old Town Wall. This is proved by the changes in the structure of the monument. One of the interesting aspects of Maiden Tower is the water well carved out of the rock. This well, with a diameter of 0.7 meters, is inside the south-eastern wall of the fort. As a result of calculations, it was determined that the well has no connection with the level of sea water.
If you also want to see this mysterious,historical monument,travel to Azerbaijan ✈️
