Dynasty and era
History
The palace's history is the history of the Shirvanshah dynasty itself — one of the longest in the Caucasus — and of its decision to move the capital to Baku.
Dynasty and era
The palace's history is the history of the Shirvanshah dynasty itself — one of the longest in the Caucasus — and of its decision to move the capital to Baku.
To understand the palace, you must start with those who built it — the rulers of Shirvan.
History
The Shirvanshahs were a dynasty that ruled Shirvan for centuries, a state on the territory of present-day Azerbaijan. By the 15th century their power was at its height, and the capital moved from Shamakhi to Baku.
It was then, under Shirvanshah Khalilullah I, that construction of the palace ensemble began — a symbol of the dynasty's might.
History
The complex took shape over the 13th–16th centuries, but the main buildings arose in the 15th. The palace was raised to the highest point of the city and surrounded by walls with towers.
Thus the Shirvanshahs created not just a residence but an architectural dominant visible across Baku and from the sea.
Milestones
A medieval state on the lands of Azerbaijan.
The capital moved in the 15th century.
The Shirvanshah under whom the palace was built.
Period in which the complex took shape.
Datings and details vary across sources; the most common information is given here.