Maiden Tower in Baku

Many attractions are in the ancient capital of Azerbaijan Baku. The maiden tower, photos of which are presented in this article, is one of the most enigmatic and grandiose. Until now, neither the date of construction of this structure nor its actual purpose is known. The maiden tower safely stores its secrets. About some of them you will learn from this article.

The appearance of the tower

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

The inner space of the thirty - meter tower is divided into eight tiers connected by screw stairs. In the structure could be up to two hundred inhabitants. You could take water from a deep well. The thickness of the walls of the tower at the base is five meters, at the top - four meters. In its size, the stone colossus exceeds the locks of Absheron, the thickness of its walls is only two meters.

Date of erection

Scientists are still arguing about when the Maiden Tower was built. To the right of the entrance there is a stone slab on which a Kufic inscription is taped: "Gubbe (dome, vault) of Masud ibn Davud." Based on the nature of writing these words (Arabic ligature), the time of building the tower for a long time dated to the 12th century. However, later the scientists took a closer look at the inscription. Firstly, the word "gubbe", sometimes translated as "the heavenly vault," was most often applied in the Middle Ages to the tombstones of Muslims, so that the souls of the deceased would rise directly to God. Where on the wall of the stone colossus a piece of tombstone? Secondly, the solution on which the plate is kept was not used in the construction of the tower. It turns out that the inscription appeared on the structure quite by accident, during the repair, when in the rush with the help of stones some damages were fixed in the walls. Perhaps this place was a loophole or a box of a square shape. Thus, it was established that the construction of the Maiden Tower in Baku took place in two stages. The first refers to the pre-Islamic era, the second - to the 12th century.

History

In different centuries for the Maiden Tower there was a different application. In the 12th century it was an impregnable fortress of the Shirvanshahs, the main stronghold of the Baku defense system. In the 18-19th centuries the building was used as a lighthouse, which began to work in 1958, on June 13. In 1907, the lighthouse was moved from the top of the structure to the island of Nargin, as its light began to merge with the lights of the night city.

The maiden's tower was repeatedly restored. In the 19 th century during the repair from its top were removed teeth (machine-guns), intended for defense. The last restoration of the building was carried out in 1960, and four years later the tower became a museum. In 2000, this unique historical monument became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A fortress, a lighthouse or a temple?

The assumptions about the defensive purpose of the Maiden Tower were disproved by the researchers. The structure is simply not suitable for conducting military operations - neither by location, nor by form, nor by internal arrangement. Firstly, there are only a few windows in the tower, which are located along the staircase leading upwards and are oriented not upward but downward. Secondly, on the roof of the structure, because of the small size, it is impossible to place any implement. Thirdly, the Maiden Tower did not have a permanent connection between the tiers. The first floor was connected with the rest of the temporary staircase, which at any time could be removed.

In addition to its unique architecture, the Maiden Tower impresses the imagination with its ... smokiness. And the soot lies on the structure is not a homogeneous layer, but localized around the seven tiers of the tower (the places where the torches lit) and at the top. According to historical sources: "seven unquenchable lights burned on its top" (Moses Hores, 5th century), each level glowing in different colors. What was going on inside the mysterious tower?

There is an assumption that the Maiden Tower is an ancient lighthouse. But why build such a grand building and consecrate it on seven levels, whereas enough to light torches at the top? In later times, the structure was used both as a beacon and as a watchtower, but its original designation was not defined by anyone. 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 contemporary Turkic-speaking peoples, had a different meaning in antiquity. "Kala" is a place where ritual fire is blazing.

Why is the tower called "maiden"?

In the world there are many structures with the name "Maiden Tower". Istanbul, Crimea, Tallinn, Belgorod-Dnistro can boast towers with the same name. The fact is that all these defensive structures were built during the gloomy Middle Ages, when never before anyone conquered the tower was considered "virgin", that is, not visited in anyone's hands. Apparently, the Baku Tower received its name in the Middle Ages, when European traditions began to penetrate the eastern thinking of the inhabitants of Azerbaijan.

The Legend of the Baku Maiden

There are many ancient stories associated with the name "Maiden Tower". The legend of the Baku Virgo says that in pre-Islamic times a Khan ruling in those parts wanted to marry his own daughter, who reminded him of his beloved wife, who had died prematurely. He received the blessing of his gods, built in honor of the bride a grand tower at the top of the rock and was preparing to begin his 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 seized her fragile body and struck against the rocks. Since then, a huge stone colossus is named "Maiden." If we turn to real historical facts, then we can find an indirect confirmation of the events described in the legend. In the years 439-457 AD E. Sassanid ruler Ezdigerd 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 discontent with this state of affairs.

The Legend of the Young Warrior

Another legend about the Maiden Tower takes us away from time immemorial, when the city of Baku was called "Baguana", and its inhabitants believed in the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. The sacred city was already 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 on the top of the ancient temple (Maiden Tower) appeared a beautiful fiery warrior with a flaming sword in her hands. She flew up and struck the enemy commander - Nur-Eddin Shah - right in the heart. However, she instantly fell in love with the young and beautiful young man she had killed. Unable to withstand the anguish, the virgin pierced herself with a sword and died, and her soul returned to the temple. Seven nights and days the mighty winds were blowing - the Hylawari and Khazri. They extinguished the sacred lights in the temple. But in seven farsangs from the sanctuary a new flame was flaming. Since then, the soul of a young warrior lives in an empty temple. Sometimes she leaves her haven, flies to the sea in search of her beloved and, angry with vain efforts, raises the evil winds that give rise to the storm.

It is interesting that this myth also has real historical events. During the siege of Nur-Eddin by Shah (7th-6th centuries BC) a powerful earthquake occurred in the vicinity of Baku. The displacement of the ground led to the fact that the gas ("sacred lights") began to come to the surface in the town of Sura-Khany ("seven farsangs" from the construction of the "Maiden Tower"). Up until 1902, there was a temple in this area and an unquenchable fire was burning.

Conclusion

Mysterious, harsh and impregnable seems Maiden Tower. Baku is a city in which the historical oriental flavor and modern realities were whimsically intertwined. This place deserves close attention. The gloomy mysterious structure in the old city once glowed with colored lights, plunged the thrill of travelers, inspired artists and poets. Look at the Maiden Tower with your own eyes. To see and try to understand what the ancient Gyz Galasy is silent about, which it hides behind its thick walls, beyond the unknown depth of gray ages.