Last residence of Shirvanshahs

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan is peppered with incredible monuments, spanning centuries and architectural styles. The country is home to many impressive fortresses waiting to be explored.

Bughurt fortress in Shamakhi is just another example of historical monuments must be seen in the Land of Fire.

The fortress placed on the top of a high mountain is surrounded by dense forests. Located in a strategically advantageous location, the fortress is visually hidden even at close range. It is believed that the history of the fortress dates back to 13th century. 

The villages of Galaderesi, Kechmedin and Galibughurt are located around the fortress. The main roads to the fortress pass through the village of Galaderesi. There is also a small castle near the fortress called the Maiden Tower.

Bughurt fortress was a medieval fortified city with a developed infrastructure, an extensive water supply and sewerage system and numerous buildings.

The fortress walls are made of large boulders and cobblestones. For the free movement of the guards, the double walls of the fortress were connected by stairs.

The walls of the fortress were covered with a domed roof, which did not allow the enemy to observe the movement of the guards.

The total area of ??the fortress is 17 hectares. Nearly 30, 000 people could live inside the fortified city. Houses belonging to residents were located in the lower part of the fortress. The buildings were built of cut stone and baked bricks.

Bughurt was a shelter for Shirvanshah during Mongol conquest. The fortress was also used during the period of Shirvanshah Kequbad and Kavus. When Shah Ismayil attacked Shirvan in 1509, Shirvanshah Shaykhshah was defended at Bughurt fortress.

In 1518, the Safavid armies attacked Shirvan under the leadership of Alqas Mirza Safavid. Shahrukh and lawyer Hussein Bey, who retreated into the Bughurt fortress, could resist the Safavids for several months.

In 1538, the Bulgar fortress was captured and destroyed by the Safavid Shah Tahmasib I. The last Shirvanshah Shahrukh was killed during the capture. Thus, the state of Shirvanshahs, which had existed for more than five centuries, ceased to exist.

Initially, research in the Bughurt fortress was carried out by archaeologist Huseyn Jiddi in the 70s of the last century.

After fifty years, the archeologists has resumed archaeological research in the fortress, Trend reported.

The last residence of the Shirvanshahs in Shamakhi is being conducted by head of the Numismatics and Epigraphy Department at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography Akif Guliyev.