Baku gyz galasy. Maiden Tower in Baku. When was born the "stone beauty"

Baku. The Maiden's Tower, photographs of which are presented in this article, is one of the most mysterious and grandiose. Until now, neither the date of construction of this structure, nor its actual purpose is known. The Maiden's Tower keeps its secrets securely. You will learn about some of them from this article.

Tower exterior

The unique architectural appearance of the Maiden's Tower still inspires awe in people. It rises in the coastal part of Icheri Sheher (old city) and is considered one of the most significant elements of the seaside "facade" of the city of Baku. The stern array of the structure is located on a rock, lined with hewn stone in places and surrounded by a fortress wall with semicircular ledges rising from the base to the very top. On the east side, the Maiden's Tower has a ledge, the purpose of which remains a mystery. This element could not be a hiding place, or a buttress, or a “spur” reflecting stone cores. The means protecting the structures could be located on the upper platform of the tower, the nature of the architecture of which has not survived to this day. The surface of the body of the building is also unique, formed by a ribbed alternation of recessed and protruding rows of masonry.

Fortress, lighthouse or temple?

Assumptions about the defensive purpose of the Maiden's Tower were refuted by the researchers. The construction is simply not adapted for military operations - neither in location, nor in form, nor in internal structure. Firstly, there are only a few windows in the tower, which are located along the stairs leading up and are oriented not down, but up. Secondly, on the roof of the structure, due to its small size, it is impossible to place any weapon. Thirdly, the Maiden's Tower did not have a permanent connection between the tiers. The first floor was connected to the rest by a temporary staircase, which could be removed at any time.

In addition to its unique architecture, the Maiden Tower strikes the imagination with its ... smokyness. Moreover, the soot does not lie on the structure in a uniform layer, but is localized around the seven tiers of the tower (places where torches shone) and at the very top. According to historical sources: “seven inextinguishable fires burned on its top” (Moses of Khores, 5th century), and each level shone in a different color. What happened inside the mysterious tower?

There is an assumption that the Maiden's Tower is an ancient lighthouse. But why build such a grandiose building and consecrate it on seven levels, when it is enough to light torches at the very top? In later times, the structure was used both as a lighthouse and as a watchtower, but no one has determined its original purpose. The most likely option is religious. The very name of the tower - "Gyz Galasy" - can be translated in different ways. The word "gala", or "kala", which has the meaning of "tower" or "fortress" among modern Turkic-speaking peoples, had a different meaning in ancient times. "Kala" is the place where the ritual fire blazes.

Why is the tower called "maiden"?

There are many buildings in the world with the name "Maiden Tower". Istanbul, Crimea, Tallinn, Belgorod-Dnevstrosky can boast of towers with the same name. The fact is that all of these were built during the gloomy Middle Ages, when a tower that had never been conquered by anyone was considered “virgin”, that is, it had not been in anyone’s hands. Apparently, the Baku Tower got its name in the Middle Ages, when European traditions began to penetrate into the eastern thinking of the inhabitants of Azerbaijan.

Legend of the Baku Maiden

There are many ancient stories associated with the name "Maiden's Tower". The legend of the Baku Maiden says that in pre-Islamic times, a certain khan, ruling in those parts, wanted to marry his own daughter, who reminded him of his beloved wife who had died untimely. He received the blessing of his gods, built in honor of the bride a grandiose tower on top of a rock, and was preparing to begin marital duties. However, the young girl resisted the will of her hated father and at the last moment jumped off the tower into the raging sea. The waves picked up her fragile body and hit the rocks. Since then, a huge stone colossus has been named "Maiden". If we turn to real historical facts, we can find indirect confirmation of the events described in the legend. In 439-457 AD e. The Sasanian ruler Yazdegerd really revived the ancient Zoroastrian custom, according to which brothers were allowed to marry sisters, and fathers to daughters. In the described history, one can find echoes of dissatisfaction with this state of affairs.

The legend of the young warrior

Another legend about the Maiden's Tower takes us back to time immemorial, when the city of Baku was called "Baguan", and its inhabitants believed in the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. The holy city had already been under siege for three months, and the local high priest proclaimed that the enemy would be destroyed by the hands of an innocent maiden. In the morning, a beautiful fiery warrior with a flaming sword in her hands appeared on the top of the ancient temple (Maiden Tower). She flew up and hit the enemy commander - Nur-Eddin Shah - right in the heart. However, she herself instantly fell in love with the young and beautiful young man she killed. Unable to bear the mental anguish, the maiden pierced herself with a sword and died, and her soul returned to the temple. For seven nights and days powerful winds blew - gilawari and khazri. They extinguished the sacred fires in the temple. But seven farsangs from the sanctuary a new flame blazed. Since then, the soul of a young warrior lives in the deserted temple. Sometimes she leaves her home, flies to the sea in search of her beloved, and, angry at her futile efforts, raises evil winds that give birth to a storm.

Interestingly, this myth is also based on real historical events. During the siege of the city of Nur-Eddin Shah (7-6 centuries BC), a powerful earthquake occurred in the Baku region. The displacement of the soil led to the fact that the gas (“sacred fires”) began to come to the surface in the town of Sura-Khany (“seven farsangs” from the “Maiden Tower” structure). Until 1902, there was a temple in this area and an unquenchable fire burned.

Conclusion

The Maiden's Tower seems mysterious, harsh and impregnable. Baku is a city in which historical oriental flavor and modern realities are intricately intertwined. This place deserves close attention. The gloomy mysterious building in the old city once glowed with multi-colored lights, plunged travelers into awe, inspired artists and poets. You need to see the Maiden Tower with your own eyes. To see and try to understand what the ancient Gyz Galasy is silent about, what it hides behind its thick walls, behind the unknown depth of gray centuries.

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The most majestic and most mysterious monument of Baku is the Gyz Galasy - the Maiden's Tower, rising in the southeastern part of the Icheri Sheher (Old City) fortress. This unique building of Azerbaijani architecture has no analogues in the East. The monument, around the date of construction and the purpose of which there are numerous disputes, today attracts attention most of all with its unique form.

The tower was built on a ledge of a coastal cliff, and is a cylinder made of local gray limestone, 28 m high and 16.5 m in diameter. The thickness of the walls at the base is 5 m, and at the top 4 m. is still not clear. The interior of the tower is divided into 8 tiers. Each of the 8 tiers of the tower is now covered with a stone dome with a round hole. Light penetrates inside through narrow window openings such as loopholes, expanding inwards. Communication between the tiers was carried out with the help of a spiral stone staircase laid in the thickness of the wall. Niches are arranged in the thickness of the walls of the tower, inside which a pottery pipe with a diameter of 30 cm is laid. Inside the tower there is a well 21 m deep, punched into the rock to the aquifers from the third tier. The date of construction of the Maiden's Tower has not yet been determined. Often the time of its construction was determined by the XII century. There is a museum inside the tower. His collection consists of ancient utensils, carpets, funny installations showing life in the 18th and 19th centuries: oil extraction from a well with a bucket, dinner in a teahouse, etc. But in the 12th century "Gyz Galasy" was one of the most powerful fortresses of the Shirvanshahs. In the 18th - 19th centuries, the Maiden's Tower was used as a lighthouse.

There are many legends about the origin of the Maiden's Tower. Most of them are connected with the meaning of the word "Virgo". One of the legends says that the shah fell in love with his daughter and decided to marry her. Trying to save herself from such a fate and dissuade her father, the girl asked the shah to build a tower and wait until the construction was completed. By the time construction was completed, the king did not change his mind, and then the girl climbed onto the tower and from there threw herself into the sea. After that, the stone, on which the princess broke, was called the "Stone of the Virgin", and the girls, being brides, brought flowers to it. There is another version of this legend: after she threw herself into the sea, her lover avenged her beloved by killing the king, but he soon learned that the mermaids had saved the girl. After a while, the lovers were able to find each other and seal themselves by marriage. Experts note the fact that the father wanted to take his daughter as a wife is evidence that this legend is pre-Islamic. The legend also indicates that the Caspian Sea was at the very foot of the Maiden's Tower. Over time, it receded, and now the sea is 100-150 m from the foot of the Tower.

According to biblical legend, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, Saint Bartholomew, was executed near the Maiden's Tower. Bartholomew appeared on the territory of Baku in the 1st century AD, propagandizing Christianity among the pagan tribes. However, the teachings of Bartholomew were rejected, and he was executed at the walls of the Maiden's Tower. A small chapel was erected at the place of execution.

In the XII century, the Maiden Tower entered the defensive system of Baku and became the main citadel of the Baku Fortress, one of the most powerful fortresses of the Shirvanshahs. But all the later studies of the Maiden's Tower completely refuted all assumptions about the defensive purpose of the tower. Neither in its form, nor in its internal structure, nor in its location, it did not provide any defensive purposes, and was simply unsuitable for this. A good example of this is the arrangement of windows - there are only a few of them in the entire tower, they are located not on the floors, but along the stairs going up, and look not down, but up.

And if you look at the Tower from above, then it is nothing more than the number nine, with its leg facing the sea. However, what this nine means is still a mystery.

The legend of the Maiden Tower in Baku

"Love has one way,
And it leads to suffering.
Leila loved the young man,
But I do not equal trouble.
And in anger the elders of the kind
Betrayed her into exile
To forget your love
And humbled the beat of the heart.

Her father built a tower
From stones deaf and gray.
An impregnable tower in the sea,
No single window.
Layla was crying on the tower
The song of love, like a swan, sang,
And grief oozed from the eyes,
The crest of tears was carried by a wave.

And once at the hour of the surf,
When the waves crashed into stone
When the night swam, swaying
Black abyss without stars
Leila the bird of the night
With thin hands,
With a cry, she rushed, in despair,
In the foam of the sea from the tower of tears.

Ah, isn't it the Maiden's Tower?
Gave so many tears to the sea,
With its salty moisture
Did it fill up?
But, furious at the Tower,
The sea receded with a roar
Throwing the city for the good
Part of his possession.

And since then the stars have been laughing
Poplars tremble with leaves,
Dissolves the window city
Enticing wayfarers.
Girls' faces are like roses
Teeth shine like pearls
And the black curl plays
In the faint light of a lantern.

And the fountains give freshness,
Either they laugh or they cry.
And the tune of the east flies
From the teahouse window.
And gives birth to fear and tenderness
Maiden's Tower Silhouette,
Like an immaculate virgin
Guarding someone's dreams.

O mysterious shadows!
O eastern capital!
You keep in ancient walls
Lots of secrets and lots of dreams.
And appears in the glow
The image of Leila is clairvoyant,
And stands in a foamy tunic
Night at the Tower of Tears

(from the book: Anna Yurkanskaya, "Colors of the Rainbow")

Maiden Tower in Baku (Azerbaijan) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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The Maiden's Tower, or Gyz Galasy, is one of the most significant buildings in Baku. It rises in the southeastern part of the Icheri Sheher fortress and is considered a symbol of the city. This unique building of Azerbaijani architecture is one of the most important elements of the seaside landscape of Baku and has no analogues in the East.

The tower was erected on a ledge of the coastal cliff and is a cylinder made of local gray limestone. Its height is 28 m, and its diameter is 16.5 m, the thickness of the walls at the base is 5 m, and at the top 4 m. Inside the tower is divided into 8 tiers, which are connected by a spiral stone staircase laid in the thickness of the wall, and a well is punched in the rock inside the tower depth 21 m.

The purpose of the tower is the biggest secret for archaeologists and historians, for which it was erected is not known for certain. It does not look like it was a defensive fortress: the tower is too small, and inside there are no conditions for a long stay.

Most likely, the tower was a religious building of the pre-Islamic period, this is evidenced by the ancient ritual wells located at the foot. Azerbaijani researcher Abbas Islamov discovered that it was on the day of the winter equinox (December 22), revered in many ancient cults, that the rays of the sun at sunrise penetrate exactly into the central window of the Maiden's Tower, and then, according to a certain pattern, into all windows located above. So, according to one of the most popular versions, the tower was associated with the cult of the sun, which was reflected in its design.

There is also a version that the tower was originally built as a temple of fire (the word "Gala" - "tower", in the Azerbaijani language also has the meaning "to make a fire"). According to other assumptions, it was a Zoroastrian dakhma - a tower where human corpses were exposed on top to be torn apart by kites, or an observatory. However, none of these versions stand up to serious criticism.

In the 12th century, the Maiden Tower became the main citadel of the most powerful Baku fortress, in the 13th-19th centuries it was used as a lighthouse (it began to shine only in the middle of the 19th century, before that the fortress flag was hoisted over the tower), and since 1964 it has become a museum included in 2000 to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The time of the tower's construction remains a mystery to historians to this day. Many believed that it was built in the 12th century. - this date is indicated on the plate located on the outside of the tower. However, this slab obviously appeared much later, as it was rather inaccurately attached to the masonry, and not even above the main entrance. Other scholars rely on the "age" of the mortar used in the construction and claim that the Maiden's Tower was erected in the 1st century AD. e., and some determine its age by stone - according to this version, the building appeared in the 9th century.

legends

Over the years and even centuries of the existence of the Maiden's Tower, many legends of varying degrees of plausibility have appeared around it. As a rule, they are associated with its age or name: the concept of “maiden” is also found in other towers in the territory of Azerbaijan and the East and means “unconquered”, “impregnable”.

The most popular and beautiful legend about Baku's Maiden's Tower is the story of a Shah who was in love with his own daughter and decided to marry her. The girl was horrified by this news and said that she would agree when he built a tower for her - in the expectation that during the construction her father would come to his senses and change his mind. However, this did not happen, the tower was completed, and the shah again came to his daughter with the intention of marrying. And then the girl climbed the tower, threw herself into the sea from it and crashed against a stone, which today is called the "stone of the virgin."

The plot of this legend was loved by many artists and poets. In 1923, the famous Azerbaijani playwright Jafar Jabarly wrote the poem "The Maiden's Tower". The first Soviet film made in Azerbaijan in 1924 was also based on the plot of this legend. It is also the name of the first Azerbaijani ballet created by Afrasiyab Badalbeyli in 1940.

The Maiden Tower to this day not only attracts tourists, but also inspires artists, poets and playwrights. Her image can be found in the paintings of famous painters, such as Alexei Bogolyubov, as well as on postage stamps of the USSR and Azerbaijan.

What to see

Today, there is a museum in the Maiden Tower, and on the upper tier there is an observation deck that offers beautiful views of the city.

You can visit the museum on your own or with a guided tour. Since scientists have not yet come to a consensus on the origin and function of the tower, most of the exhibition is devoted to various versions (religious building, ancient observatory or defensive structure) and artifacts related to these versions. Most of the exposition is occupied by archaeological finds found in the tower, such as fragments of ceramic dishes and ancient tools.

The museum also has a multimedia exposition: touchscreen monitors with information, virtual books with legends about the tower, a solar display that projects an image onto the air flow, and any information about the exhibits is available via a QR code.

During the last restoration, an unforeseen problem arose - swifts, which flew to Baku in late spring and began to nest in the crevices of the tower. In order not to upset the ecological balance and prevent the ancient building from collapsing, the restorers themselves created nests of durable material for the swifts, and then attracted them to a new place of residence with the sounds of their own voices.

Practical Information

Address: Qız Qalası, Baku.

Opening hours: from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, Monday is a day off.

Entrance: 2 AZN. Prices on the page are for November 2018.

The Caspian Sea with oil deposits, fertile lands, trade routes, access to the sea... The fabulous treasures of ancient Azerbaijan played a role in the historical development of this country. There are many mysteries left here that still arouse sincere interest in the past of Azerbaijan, and one of them has not been solved to this day. This is the secret of Gyz Galasy, the Maiden's Tower in Baku...

Legends of ancient Azerbaijan

The daughter of the Shah was famous for her beauty and grace. Her father fell in love with her and decided to get married. But the girl was horrified at the thought. Deciding to delay the moment of celebration, she asked her father to build a beautiful tower. During this time, she wanted to try to talk him into changing his mind. But this did not happen, and when the tower was nevertheless ready, the girl threw herself from its top into the sea. The stone on which the beauty crashed to death became known as the Stone of the Virgin. It has become a place of visiting for brides and laying flowers.

There is another ending to this story. After the death of the girl, her lover, in a fit of grief and despair, killed the Shah. But then he learned that the mermaids managed to save the unfortunate. And after some time he found his only one, and they got married.

They say that sometimes on a particularly moonlit night, if you look closely, you can see a thin maiden figure on the top of the tower, frozen before the jump ...

This legend has become an inspiration for many creative people:

1. 1923 The poem called "The Maiden's Tower" was the first work based on the legend, its creator is the playwright Jafar Jabarly;
2. 1924 The film "The Legend of the Maiden's Tower" directed by Vladimir Balluzek was born;
3. 1940 The first Azerbaijani ballet was also based on this legend and received the same name, the author of the music and the libretto was Afrasiyab Badalbeyli.

This is only a small part of the list of all works of art for which a beautiful legend served as an impetus for creativity.

The appearance of the stone beauty

The symbol of the city of Baku, a unique historical monument that has no analogues in the whole world, is located in the Icheri Sheher fortress.

The tower rises on a ledge of the coastal cliff. It is a cylindrical building with a height of 28 meters and a diameter of 16 and a half. The thickness of the walls decreases, at the base - five meters, and closer to the top - four. A spiral staircase alternately connects the eight tiers that make up Gyz Galasy. And inside the tower, a deep well gapes in the rock. Its depth is 21 meters.

The outer surface of the walls of the building is rather unusual - it is an alternation of protruding and recessed rows of masonry.

Some historical facts and mysteries

The slender and impregnable beauty keeps her stone silence, does not give out secrets. It is still unclear - for what purposes it was designed and built? When? Who gave the order for construction and who designed this monumental structure. Where are the remains of the destroyed clay gas pipeline from? Why and for what purposes did its tiers glow with different lights - each of its own color? There are more questions than answers.

Its size, the lack of conditions for long-term residence indicate that it could not be used for military and defensive purposes. And even with such bright lighting, with windows pointing upwards - what kind of defensive tower is it?

Hmm, some questions ... Maybe there are at least a few reliable answers to them?

Why such a name?

Many towers bear this name not only in Baku, but also in the Crimea, Istanbul, Tallinn, Germany, and Estonia. Each of them is overgrown with legends and secrets. Where did such a craving for such a romantic name come from? If the tower never surrendered to the mercy of the enemy and was not captured, it was considered "virgin".

What was it built for?

Researchers suggest that the tower could not have been intended for military purposes. The space of the upper landing is small, the windows cannot be used as loopholes, because they look up and are located only along the stairs. And the staircase itself also does not ensure the safety of the alleged defenders of the fortress. Especially between the first and second tiers - it was temporary, and on occasion it could be removed. Then all the inhabitants of the building would be simply cut off from the outside world.

True, in the XII century the tower was still one of the most defensive and powerful fortresses of the Shirvanshahs, as historical sources say. The location seems to oblige to say with absolute certainty that this is a watchtower protecting from attacks from the sea. But why (according to numerous historical sources) was it so brightly illuminated? Windows could not be loopholes - the earth is not visible from them, only the sky. From the upper platform, blown by the strongest Baku winds, you can’t shoot at the enemy with arrows and darts - they simply won’t reach.

Maybe she was already a beacon then? But why such thick walls? In addition, the upper platform was usually illuminated at the lighthouse, but here all seven tiers were lit. So what is this building?

The researcher Abbas Islamov claimed that the tower is a religious building. As evidence, he called the fact that it was on December 22, on an unusual day for many cults, that the rays of the rising sun fall into the central window of Giz Galasa. Then, in a certain order, the same thing happens with other windows located above.

There are suggestions that the tower is a temple of fire or an observatory, and supporters of these versions give a lot of arguments.

When was the "stone beauty" born?

Until now, no one can say exactly when the tower was erected. Some sources rely on the age of the plate with the inscription - this is about the 12th century. Many argue with this, arguing that the slab was used for repairs and has nothing to do with the true age of the building.

Others claim that if you focus on the solution used by the builders, then it appeared in the 1st century AD. And still others date the age of the stone. Judging by it, the “stone maiden” appeared in the 9th century. However, if we collect all the sources about the appearance of the structure, then the time interval will be as follows: from the 6th century BC and up to the 12th century - already ours.

However, one of the historians believes that the tower has two ages: the lower part was erected in the 5th-6th centuries, and the upper one in the 12th. What is not a secret?

Achievement list

The tower was converted into a lighthouse in the 18th century. It began to be used in 1858, this continued until 1907, and then the lighthouse was moved. The historical building was restored more than once, and in 1964 it was converted into a museum. In 2000 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Despite its considerable age, the tower fully justifies its name, retaining its beautiful and unique appearance. Crowds of tourists tend to visit this place overgrown with legends, feel the historical charm of this place and try to unravel the secrets of the stone beauty. But, like a true woman, the Maiden's Tower does not reveal its secrets. And that is why it becomes especially attractive for those who love the unknown, shrouded in the mystery of centuries.