| Azerbaijan |
|
|
Azerbaijan is one of the former Soviet Union countries having 87000 sqm area and is strategically located at the crossroads of the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Azerbaijan borders with the Russian Federation, Iran, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, is situated on the Absheron Peninsula, the shore of the Caspian Sea and has enormous oil & gas reserves. Its capital is Baku. Due to its geographical location it is an important stopover on the Silk Way. In the second century BC, the caravans passed through Azerbaijan on the 4000-mile Silk Way linking East Asia with the West. With its recent, remarkable commercial renaissance, Azerbaijan prominently features again on the business traveller’s landscape. Influenced throughout its history by the Shirvan-Shahs, the Mongols, Peter the Great and Persia, Baku reflects the elements of this rich heritage within the walls of the old town or the fortress of Ichari-Sheher. This picturesque section of Baku includes the Maiden's Tower, Shirvan-Shah's Palace, Karavansarai, Bath-house of Gasimbay, and the 11th-century Sinik-Gala Minaret and Mosque, Lezgi, Madrasa and Juma Mosques, while around the fortress architectural styles range from Moresque, Gothic and Baroque to the present day. |