
Mausoleum Xatun – all my photos looked a bit odd, but I later found out it was the tower that was leaning slightly, not me…
Mausoleum Xatun – UNESCO World Heritage Site
The ten-sided mausoleum is 26m high and covered in fine carvings, geometric patterns and Kufic script.
Completed in 1186, the mausoleum originally housed the tomb of Shemseddin Eldeniz, whose wife Xatun the building is named after.
We still had a camera crew following us round, so were keen to hide inside, where there’s a display providing an excellent history of the building
Underneath is a crypt, where it’s revealed that the entire structure is held up by one pillar.

The lone supporting pillar.

The small park outside

Newly restored instruments
Musical Instrument Museum.
I wasn’t really expecting much here, but the Director of the Museum made the visit for us. He gave us an overview of the musical history of Azerbajan, culminating in him playing a few of the instruments that adorned the walls.

Some of the instruments at the Naxcivan Instrument Museum
This one was particularly clever, with it being playable on three sides, creating 3 different sounds:
and the other side. Two videos as I wasn’t expecting that:
Then he got out the bagpipes…
…which was our queue to leave.

Inside the Naxcivan Hamam – I think they were expecting guests
Tea House in a Hamam
Standing in the main square of Nakhcivan we could see Iran just across the water, which I was rather excited about, so needed yet more tea to calm down.
The Tea house here is housed in a former Hamam or bath house.
A live band greeted us inside, playing more of the traditional instruments we’d seen earlier.
As always the tea was served with an abundance of cakes – the ever present Baklava and a new one called Guymag/Guymaq/Qayganaq, which was like a honey omelette.

Azeri Baklava
I’ve saved the best recipe link for last. Traditional Baklava are tricky to prepare, but worth the effort to make it yourself at least once. (That said, having made them once, I’m probably just going to buy them next time!)
This trip was arranged by the Azerbaijan Tourist Board, as part of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Silk Road Conference.
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