Itinerary

1. Bibi Heybat Mosque

   • The Bibi-Heybat Mosque:
     • Location: Baku, Azerbaijan.
     • Historical Significance: Built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II.
     • Destruction: The original mosque was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936.
     • Reconstruction: The existing structure was rebuilt in the 1990s as a recreation of the original mosque.
   • Alternate Name:
     • Also referred to as "the mosque of Fatima".
     • Named as such by Alexandre Dumas during his visit in the 1850s.

2. Gobustan (Petroglyph Museum)

   • Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape:
     • Location: Central Azerbaijan.
     • Description: Consists of three areas on a plateau of rocky boulders.
     • Rock Engravings: More than 6,000 rock engravings are present.
     • Historical Significance: Testifies to 40,000 years of rock art.
     • Human Habitation: Contains remains of inhabited caves, settlements, and burials.
     • Period of Use: Reflects intensive human use from the Upper Paleolithic to the Middle Ages, during the wet period following the last Ice Age.
     • Area Covered: Spans 537 hectares.
   • Inclusion within Gobustan Reservation:
     • Part of the larger protected Gobustan Reservation.

3. Mud Volcanoes

   Mud Volcanoes in Azerbaijan:

   • Abundance: Azerbaijan has the highest number of mud volcanoes compared to any other country.
   • Distribution: The mud volcanoes are spread widely across the country.
   • Quantity: Of the 700 mud volcanoes worldwide, 350 are located in the Azerbaijani Republic.
   • Local Names: Referred to by locals as:
     • "Yanardagh" (burning mountain).
     • "Pilpila" (terrace).
     • "Gaynacha" (boiling water).
     • "Bozdag" (grey mountain).
   • Geographic Name: Also known simply as mud volcanoes.