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, Azerbaijan ]]

Baku's Maiden Tower (. Due to Land Reclamation in the early 20th century it is now separated from the Caspian by a busy main road and public gardens. It was constructed in the 12th century, or possibly earlier - its architectural style and construction sequence is obscure, and estimates for its age go back to an unlikely 2,500 years.

There are a number of competing explanations for the name:
  • A legend concerning a maiden who threw herself off its top, to her death in the waves below.

  • It may have been a sacred structure devoted to the maiden goddess Ani , referred to in mythologies of the Caucasus and Central Asia.

  • The fact that the tower has never been taken by force.


The Maiden Tower is a noted landmark and one of Azerbaijan's most distinctive national emblems, to be seen on Azeri Currency Notes and other official pieces of paper. It houses a museum and gift shop, selling traditional textile and ceramic products. The view from the roof is highly recommended, taking in the alleys and minarets of the Old City, the Boulevard, the De Gaulle house and a wide vista of Baku Bay . In recent years the brazier on the top has been lit during the nights of the Norouz festival, celebrated in Iran as well as Azerbaijan.


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