Experience the rich history and natural wonders of Azerbaijan with our full-day Gobustan tour, which includes major museums and historical sites in Baku and Absheron. Discover the ancient rock formations and mud volcanoes of Gobustan, visit the Fire Temple and Burning Hill, and explore other historical landmarks
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Mud Volcanoes.
During the Gobustan tour, guests are picked up from their hotel and taken to visit Gobustan, followed by a ride to the Mud Volcanoes in a specific car due to the road conditions. Azerbaijan is home to almost one-third of the world's mud volcanoes, which are associated with hydrocarbon and petrochemical stores underground. Some of these gas leaks are always on fire, and they are linked to the emergence of Zoroastrianism in Azerbaijan. Although generally not dangerous, mud volcanoes can cause massive explosions every 20 years or so, with a case in Bozdagh, Azerbaijan, killing six shepherds and over 2,000 sheep.
Gobustan museum and rocks
After returning from the Mud Volcanoes, we visit the Gobustan museum to begin our tour of the Gobustan Rock Art (open-air museum). The Gobustan State Reserve, established in 1966 as a national historic landmark, is located about 40 miles southwest of Baku and contains more than 6,000 rock carvings dating back 5,000-20,000 years. After the tour, we return to the city to continue our itinerary.
Bibi Heybat Mosque
En route back from Gobustan, we'll pause at Bibi-Heybat Mosque. This historical mosque in Baku was reconstructed in the 1990s, modeled after the original mosque built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II. The Bolsheviks razed the original structure in 1936. Currently, the Bibi-Heybat Mosque is a vital Islamic monument in Azerbaijan, serving as the spiritual hub for local Muslims.
World's first drilled oil well
Recently discovered archives have provided documentary evidence of Azerbaijan's historic role in the industrial production of oil, which began in Baku. This led to the discovery and restoration of the world's first oil well, which was 21 meters deep and drilled in 1846 in the village of Bibiheybat near Baku. This well has since been transformed into an open-air museum.
Fire Temple
The Baku Ateshgah, also known as the "Fire Temple of Baku," is a fortress-like religious structure located in the town of Surakhani, a suburb of Baku, Azerbaijan. The temple was used for Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian worship, as evidenced by Persian inscriptions. The Persian word "Atash" means fire. The pentagonal complex was constructed during the 17th and 18th centuries and features a courtyard surrounded by cells for monks and a tetrapillar-altar in the center. The temple was likely abandoned in the late 19th century, possibly due to a decline in the Indian population in the area.
Burning Mountain
Yanar Dag, which means "burning mountain" in Azerbaijani, is a perpetual natural gas fire that burns on a hillside located on the Absheron Peninsula near Baku on the Caspian Sea. Unlike the mud volcanoes in the area, the flame on Yanar Dag burns steadily because it is fueled by a continuous seep of gas from beneath the surface. According to legend, the Yanar Dag flame was accidentally ignited by a shepherd in the 1950s.
HEYDAR Aliyev Cultural Center
The final stop of the Gobustan tour is a remarkable architectural feat designed by Zaha Hadid and constructed in 2012, spanning across an area of 57,500 square meters.
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