“The land of fire, nature and beauty” is how its residents and visitors describe it, and any part of Azerbaijan, which is located in the southern Caucasus region and extends over western Asia and eastern Europe, can arouse the interest of tourists and visitors who notice the urban development and engineering creativity of an architectural nature on its buildings and landmarks, in addition to the natural landscapes the beautiful.
The Azerbaijan known on the geographical or even the informational map was not similar to what you can see in that country, and if there is something in it that suggests the antiquity of human life on earth, then it is a big difference that you see pictures and videos, and that you touch on the ground those rocks that embody life Ancient, dating back to the beginnings of mankind 6000 years ago.
We were there in Azerbaijan, nature and history, which contains half of the world's volcanoes discovered so far, which suggest many elements of the earth's core, so the journey was in the interior of the earth and into the depth of history.
First launch
There is no dispute that Azerbaijan is full of stories that have not yet been told, and it has acquired its identity that is characterized by eastern charm and European splendor, and it is known that it welcomes visitors from different places around the world at the same time, especially since it has always been at the crossroads of culture thousands of years ago.
It is known that the culture of Azerbaijan is woven from the stories of travelers, thanks to its geographical location. Its history continues to be constantly renewed, resulting in a group of wonderful stories always.
The launch was in response to the invitation of a visit from the Tourism Council of Azerbaijan, on February 24, to the capital, Baku, to depart from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, passing through Abu Dhabi Airport, as the flight was early, through which we arrived in Baku, charming with its beauty, at three o'clock in the afternoon, through various stations from Jeddah and Riyadh. And Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and on our way from the airport after completing travel procedures and visas, to the hotel, the residence caught my attention through the window of the bus that took us with beautiful views and wide streets, as I imagined it to be with narrow streets, but I found it a surprisingly modern city, with buildings of the style An architecture that emulates its beautiful heritage.
We arrived at the hotel located on the promenade of the capital, Baku, and a view of the Boulevard forces you to go down and walk in it and enjoy sitting in front of the sea..
old City
On the second day of our arrival.. our trip and exploration must be to the capital, Baku, where we headed early in the morning to the old city with a long history through its wide gate, and we toured inside it to learn about its history and heritage, and the old city is considered the oldest part of the Azerbaijani capital, known as the historical district, as it tempts you The place is a long walk inside it, learning about its history and enjoying the beauty of the building and the unique architectural decorations, in addition to the scenery that prompts you to take photographs.
Tea ceremonies in Azerbaijan have deep traditional roots and occupy a very important place in Azerbaijani culture. While tea is associated with warmth, tradition says a person should offer tea to every visitor, even if the visit is only 5 minutes long. In addition to restaurants serving local and international dishes, most restaurants in the country offer various dining options.
During our stay in the old city, we noticed that the Azeri people enjoyed a very refined and polite manner.
We were able to visit the markets and restaurants and buy from the stalls on both sides of the inner streets of the old city, from handcrafted souvenirs, which characterize the city.
Flame towers
On the third day and within the schedule of the visit, we stood in front of the amazing Flame Towers, which is the tallest skyscraper in Baku, with a height of 190 from our walk, where these towers stand tall, which are considered one of the city’s landmarks that were designed in the form of a flame, and the Flame Towers also stand out as another architectural gem in the city. Those three massive structures could be seen from anywhere in the city.
Heydar Aliyev Centre
Our visit was to the Heydar Aliyev Center, the jewel in the crown of modern architecture in Baku. The building, designed by Zaha Hadid, is famous for its style that does not contain a single straight line. There is also a cultural heritage exhibition that displays all periods of Azerbaijan’s history and unique examples of ancient crafts, especially in the carpet weaving that Azerbaijan is famous for, in addition to an exhibition of rare old classic cars that have been produced since The end of the nineteenth century to the sixties of the twentieth century.
Fire mountain
On the third day, we went to the Yanardag region, which is called the Mountain of Fire that does not extinguish, as it is about 30 km away from the capital, and it is another site that symbolizes many links between the country and fire, and it is the first mountain of fire in which fires burn up to 10 meters vertically in centuries. It is close to it, and despite the coldness of the weather, the fire makes you enjoy the atmosphere and the wide spaces that surround the mountain. The Mountain of Fire betrayed us as it tells a world of secrets of a fire that never goes out.
Kabala
On the fourth day, our visit was towards the north to the city of Qabala, which is considered one of the beautiful and cool tourist areas. The road to it was full of beautiful landscapes and pastures.
We stopped at an elderly woman, who had taken her designated place on the road, preparing delicious tannouri bread, as is the case with other villagers who display their natural products of bread, yogurt, milk, nuts and dried fruits. We met a resident of the neighborhood who greeted us at the entrance to the village and took us on a quick tour of the village before lunch at his house.
The trip did not end. After we left the village, we headed to Qabala, where there are resorts, parks, and tourist waterfalls on mountain tops, skiing, and the electric train.
The history of Qabala dates back to more than 2000 years when it was the capital of the ancient state whose outskirts were built on these lands during ancient times, and its population until 2011 reached 12,808 people.
Gobustan
The semi-desert region in central Azerbaijan abounds with an impressive array of rocks that include more than 40,000 petroglyphs, for a combined witness to 6,000 rock art. In addition to the fact that the site has a UNESCO classification of archaeological sites, here we can also attribute it to one of the most famous inscriptions in the East, which is attributed to one of the Roman legions, and it chronicles the farthest travel distance to the East so far.
Azerbaijan has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Gobustan National Park. The prehistoric area includes rock carvings dating back 6,000 years, as evidence that humans lived there more than 25,000 years ago.
Azerbaijan also has about half of the mud volcanoes discovered in the world, which number about 400 volcanoes, and many of them can be reached through Gobustan.
In July 2019, Sheki Khan was listed as the third site of Azerbaijan on the UNESCO list. The historical center of Sheki and Sheki Khan Palace are distinguished by their distinctive history, heritage and culture. Travelers will be inspired by the history of the city, and will be amazed by it as an important destination on the Great Silk Road, while learning about the charming crafts in the palace.
Cultural events
Azerbaijan is the ideal destination for meetings and doing business, as it hosted many high-profile events in 2019 that included government officials from more than 70 countries.
In June, Azerbaijan showcased its expertise in business events at the UNWTO Executive Council, welcoming ministers of tourism, arts and culture and delegates from around the world. In 2019, several conference organizers chose Azerbaijan as a preferred destination for their events, including the World Congress of the International Association for Music Education and the Euro-Asian Congress.
In 2020, Azerbaijan is preparing to host the Network's Global Summit at the end of the year, where founders and executives will meet with the aim of drawing features and discussing the future of technology. The country is also a pioneer in highlighting the role of women in society, and it is in the process of preparing to host WomENcourage 2020, a platform that celebrates women in computing, aims to connect them with various technical disciplines, and encourage them to pursue their education and work in the field of computing.
Azerbaijan recently won the right to host the 73rd International Astronautical Congress in 2022, which strengthened its position as a distinguished and competitive destination in the commercial events sector, and the decision came after voting during the General Assembly of the International Astronautical Federation in Washington on October 25, 2019.
Leila Mahmoudova: Introductory tours of the regions of the Kingdom
The number of Saudi tourists visiting Azerbaijan last year 2019 increased to 107,000 visitors, an increase of 46.7%, compared to approximately 73,000 visitors in 2018, according to what was announced by the Regional Director for the Middle East at the Tourism Council of Azerbaijan, Leila Mahmudova, to “Okaz”. Indicating that this came as a result of the facilities provided by Azerbaijan to the Saudis, including the visa upon arrival, the provision of an Arabic-speaking tourist guide, the employment of Arabic speakers in hotels and shopping centers, and the provision of many tourist instructions and signs in Arabic.
Mahmoudova stated that the Tourism Council intends to organize introductory tours to the most prominent regions of the Kingdom at the end of the summer, and the Council will also participate in the travel exhibition that will be held in Saudi Arabia.
Information about Azerbaijan:
It is located south of the Caucasus in Eurasia.
The official language is Azerbaijani.
The population is 10,013,133 people
Manat is the currency of Azerbaijan
95 countries benefit from the electronic visa
$23 visa fee
Access to Azerbaijan by air from more than 70 countries
Ibrahim Al-Qirbi (Baku) @okaz_online