MAIDEN VOYAGE

As one of the city's emblems, the tower of the Virgin has uncertain origins, which are still subject to discussion between local historians. It is 28 m high, one for every day of the Muslim lunar calendar, for a diameter of 16,5 m, and has walls of 5 m wide down, 4 m high. Its lower part, below 13,7 m high, would have been built between the th and the th century BC and would then have sheltered a pagan temple. In the upper part, one can read on one stone the following inscription: " Tour de Masud, son of David ", which allows us to date the end of the th century book. At that time, the building had a defensive function, one of which can still be seen: the absence of stairs between the ground floor and the first floor, intended to prevent potential attackers from gaining access inside the building; and the presence of a well over 13 m deep, open on the second floor, which allowed the besieged to supply water. Only the rich inhabitants of Baku could find refuge here in the event of an attack. The tower held its role and was never taken, which made it a nickname of the Virgin.

Each of the floors of the tower houses a small museum. There are antique objects, pictures, engravings and photos from Baku in the th century, miniature reconstructions of scenes of daily life (carpet merchants, cobblers, tea houses…).

From the roof of the tower, a magnificent view extends over Baku and the Caspian Sea.