Walls of Old City to be restored
By Laman Ismayilova
Restoration works are underway in Icherisheher, known as the oldest part of Baku. Several wall stones were spilled in the fortress walls amid.
The age of the stones, the quality of materials used in the restoration in the middle of the last century, as well as rainfalls negatively affected the look of the Old City walls.
The restoration work will be carried out along all the walls of the Old City in the next few years. In 2019, Gosha Gala Gates and part of the adjacent fortress wall were successfully restored.
At present, a special working group has been set up by the department to start the restoration of the fortress wall, which includes experts working in this field along with the employees of the state reserve.
All measures will be taken to protect and preserve the Old City, inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Numerous unique monuments, mosques and minarets, the ruins of caravanserais and bathhouses make this place one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.
In general, there were several baths in Icherisheher. The baths of the Shirvanshahs Palace, Gasim bay, Haji Bani, Agha Mikail, Agha Zeynal and the underground bath are historical monuments that are protected by the state.
Not far from Gosha Gala there is also Baku Khans' Palace, dating back to the 17th-18th centuries. Until 1806, the rulers of the khanate used this complex as their residence.
Baku Khans' Palace includes residential buildings, a khan’s garden, an underground bathhouse, a medieval well, the ruins of a pottery workshop, an irrigation system, a khan’s mosque. Restoration and conservation, as well as improvement work here, began in September 2018.
Baggal Gallery, which holds exhibition-sale of souvenirs and traditional crafts, a book house as well as a cafe also operate here.
There is also a beautiful park, which will undoubtedly become one of the most favourite places for recreation for Baku residents and the city's guests.
After reconstructions, Baku Khans' Palace will function as a museum. Here, the wide audience will learn the history of ancient Baku city, revived by modern technologies.
The museum's opening ceremony is scheduled for the end of the year.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lamiva993
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