A single ensemble
The Complex
The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is not one building but a considered ensemble of several structures set on different levels of the slope.
A single ensemble
The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is not one building but a considered ensemble of several structures set on different levels of the slope.
The complex unites secular, religious and memorial architecture in one stone space.
The Complex
The ensemble spreads across two levels. The upper courtyard opens onto the main palace building with state halls and living quarters; the lower holds the Divankhana and the mausoleum.
The eastern portal is a true masterpiece of stone carving — a ceremonial entrance decorated with geometric ornament and inscriptions.
Parts of the ensemble
The main buildings of the complex.
The Complex
The whole ensemble is built of warm Shirvan limestone, which binds the various structures into a single whole. Fountains and pools survive in the courtyards.
This unity of material and scale makes the palace one of the most harmonious monuments of the medieval East.
The composition and datings of the buildings vary across sources; common information is given.