Baku Khans' Palace () is a complex of several houses that belonged to the members of the ruling family of the

Baku Khanate The Baku Khanate (), was a khanate under Iranian suzerainty, which controlled the city of Baku and its surroundings from 1747 to 1806. Background The city of Baku, located in the South Caucasus, was originally part of the Shirvan province of ...

Overview

The palace is located in the territory left of the Shamakhy gate. During the

khanates A khanate ( ) or khaganate refers to historic polities ruled by a khan, khagan, khatun, or khanum. Khanates were typically nomadic Mongol and Turkic or Tatar societies located on the Eurasian Steppe, and politically equivalent in status to k ...

period of Azerbaijan, which occurred after the collapse of the

Shirvanshah The Shirvanshahs (Arabic/) were the rulers of Shirvan (in present-day Azerbaijan) from 861 to 1538. The first ruling line were the Yazidids, an originally Arab and later Persianized dynasty, who became known as the Kasranids (also referred t ...

state in the 17th century, Baku khans lived in this palace. No official information exists about the exact foundation date; however, it is estimated to be built around 1750 by the first Khan of Baku,

Mirza Muhammad Khan I Mirza Muhammad Khan I was the founding Khan of the Baku Khanate. He was a descendant of the Iranian garrison commander of Baku of 1723. Background Mirza Muhammad Khan belonged to a family which was originally from Mazandaran. He was the son of ...

. The underground bathhouse is considered to be an older structure, being built around the 17th century. Upon the occupation of Baku by the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

in 1806, a military garrison was positioned in the palace. The palace used to have a garden with a pool and flowers that has now been reconstructed. Prior to the reconstruction, only the entrance portal and a small restored mosque had survived, while the underground bathhouse in the lower part of the fortress walls in the territory of the Khans' palace still remained unearthed. The latest excavations were in 1985, 1986, and 2018. Besides a lot of cultural samples, a water supply system and underground architectural constructions were also discovered here. Presently, the Palace complex consists of the house of the last Baku khan – Huseyngulu Khan as well as his family members, Abdurrahim bey and Mehdigulu bey.

Nowadays

Prior to 2018, the palace complex was in ruins and parts of it still remained unearthed. The Official Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve "Icherisheher" informed media that they had no whatsoever intentions to repair the palace. However, they changed their position and issued a tender for the reconstruction of the historic palace complex in 2018. One of the main reasons for this decision is that the palace complex is seen as one of the most significant and valuable pieces of the architectural legacy of the

. Reconstruction work of the Baku Khans’ Palace-Museum began in March 2018. Khan's Garden surrounding the complex is also scheduled to be built and will become the largest garden park in Icherisheher. The archaeological excavations and restoration occurred from 2018 to 2019, and included clearing the earth from the complex as well as strengthening the dome and foundations using the original material. On June 29, 2020, Azerbaijani president

Ilham Aliyev Ilham Heydar Oghlu Aliyev (born 24 December 1961) is an Azerbaijani politician who has been the fourth president of Azerbaijan since 2003. He is also the leader of the New Azerbaijan Party since 2005. The son and second child of former Aze ...

participated in the opening of the palace complex and 17th century underground bathhouse. As of August 2020, the palace has been fully reconstructed and the new Baku Khans’ palace-museum is now open to visitors.

Residents

The following khans lived in the palace of Baku khans: *1747-1765 -

(son of Dergahqulu khan) *1765-1784 -

Malik Muhammad Khan Malik Muhammad Khan was second khan of Baku and a son of Mirza Muhammad Khan. Reign He was a firstborn son of Mirza Muhammad and daughter of Husein khan Rudbar. He was later a son-in-law of Fatali khan. He was already ruling in his father's n ...

(son of Mirza Muhammad Khan I) *1784-1791 -

Mirza Muhammad Khan II Mirza Muhammad Khan II (1770–1836) – was third Khan of Baku. Early life Mirza Muhammad Khan II was born in 1770 to Malik Muhammad Khan and Khadija Bika, sister of Fatali Khan of Quba. He was named after his grandfather, Mirza Muhammad Khan ...

(son of Malik Muhammad Khan) *1791-1792 -

Muhammadquli Khan Muhammadquli Khan was the fourth khan of Baku. Reign He was a younger brother of Malik Muhammad Khan and the son of Mirza Muhammad Khan I, his birth date is not known. Since death of Fatali khan, he was trying to usurp Baku khanate using inexper ...

(son of Mirza Muhammad Khan I) *1792-1806 - Huseyngulu Khan (son of Haji Aligulu Agha Khan).

Gallery

File:Bakı xan sarayına Bazar meydanı tərəfdən giriş qapısından aşağı bağa açılan görünüş.jpg, File:Bakı xan sarayına daxil olan binalardan birinin Bazar meydanına baxan fasadı.jpg File:Bakı xanlarının evi, Böyük Qala küçəsi, 44 A daxili həyətə baxan eksteryeri.jpg File:Bakı xanlarının evi, Böyük Qala küçəsi, 46 bərpa işlərindən sonra.jpg File:Bakı xanlarının evi, Böyük Qala küçəsi, 48 bərpa işlərindən sonra.jpg File:Bakı xanlarının evi, Böyük Qala küçəsi, 50 bərpa işlərindən sonra.jpg File:Bakı xanlarının evi, Böyük Qala küçəsi, 44 B daxili həyətə baxan eksteryeri.jpg File:Yeraltı Hamam (1).jpg, Restored Underground Bathhouse File:Description on the entranse of Baku Khan's Palace in Ichery Sheher.jpg, Inscription on entrance portal

References

External links

{{commons category, Palace of Baku Khans
Baku Khans’ Palace - AzerNews.Az
Buildings and structures in Baku History of Baku Palaces in Azerbaijan Ruins in Azerbaijan Houses completed in the 18th century Royal residences in Azerbaijan World Heritage Sites in Azerbaijan Tourist attractions in Baku Icherisheher