Asia

[Visited: February 2022]

When I drive from the airport to the city, I notice it has wide avenues, little traffic, and immense buildings. Of course, after Baku, Nakhchivan is a small and quiet city, but it surprises because of a certain grandeur. For a while, I explore the country using Nakhchivan as a base. I criss-cross the city, quickly get accustomed to its layout, and leave seeing it for last. Before I can visit the city, I need to find a place to do a PCR test for my flight home though. That turns out to be more complicated than I thought, and I end up having a test done in a military hospital south of the city. From there, I drive up to Istirahat Park in the west of the city. I head straight to a leaning tower in the park: the mausoleum of Momine Khatun. This is one of the oldest surviving monuments in the city, and probably the most impressive one.
The tower, that is lower than it once was, and seems to be slowly sinking to one side, has ten sides. Nine of them are unique, all are covered in Kufic writings, geometric patterns, and near the top, stalactite-like decorations. Inevitably, the dominant colour in the decorations is turquoise. I try to enter the mausoleum, but it is firmly shut. The monument was built in the late 12th century as a resting place for Momine Khatun. Eventually, more people were buried here, but their graves have been stolen. Right under the tower, I find a collection of sculptures, mostly of animals. From the park, it is a short drive to Yezidabad Castle, the main castle of Nakhchivan city. It is completely restored, and I walk around it to one of the circular towers which stand above the drop-off, a natural guard against potential attackers of the city.
Right next to the castle wall, I see another remarkable structure: the Mausoleum of Noah. According to legend, Noah's Ark ended up on a nearby mountain, and he founded the city of Nakhchivan. Eventually, he was also buried here, in this very mausoleum. A much smaller tower than the one of Momine Khatun, but a pretty one all the same. Unfortunately, it is also tightly locked. I walk near the balustrade, to what looks like a mosque under construction. When I walk around the building, a guard comes from a nearby shelter and starts following me, urging me to leave, but not leaving me alone. I pass the Mausoleum of Noah again, and enter the Yezidabad Castle through a side entrance. Inside, I mostly see a huge courtyard, and I walk the stairs up to the walls of the castle, which allow me better views of the vast space. I exit through the main gate, and am just in time to pick up the (negative) test result at the military hospital. It is time to leave, and fly back to Baku.

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Nakhchivan City (Azerbaijan)

Nakhchivan City > Azerbaijan > Asia

[Visited: February 2022]

Around the World in 80 Clicks