Sheki Travel: An Introduction

Located in the lush foothills of the Greater Caucasus by the Gurjana River in the northwest of Azerbaijan, nearly 350 km from the capital city of Baku, Sheki aka Shaki (Şəki in Azerbaijani) was a prominent stop on the storied Silk Road and later in the history became a part of USSR.

Old Ladas dominate the labyrinth of cobbled streets lined with traditional gable tiled roof houses and caravanserais – the eternal town of Sheki seems stuck in a time warp.

Founded in the 8th century BC, Sheki is one of the oldest cities in Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. Sheki was ruled by diverse rulers since its inception before it became the capital of Sheki Khanate, one of the most powerful Khanates in the Caucasus.

During the reign of the Khanate of Sheki, the city rose to fame for its silk production making it rich and popular. The beautiful architecture that you see today including the legendary Khan’s Palace is built by them.

Once a major hub on the ancient trade route, the Silk Route, the remnants of the golden era are still visible in and around Sheki, in the old merchant houses, silk factories, and caravanserais.

Similarly, the city reflects its Soviet Union legacy in its Soviet-era architecture and Russian Ladas.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage City, Sheki continues to charm its visitors through its intriguing history and culture, fine craftsmanship, mouthwatering desserts, and welcoming locals.

Related Read: Amazing Things to do in Quba, Azerbaijan

Where to Stay in Sheki, Azerbaijan

Best Things to Do in Sheki, Azerbaijan

1. Gawk at the Stunning Sheki Khan’s Palace

You can’t visit Sheki and not visit Sheki Khan’s Palace aka Sheki Xan Sarayi – it’s, undoubtedly, one of the most stunning pieces of architecture in Azerbaijan and no wonder tops the list of the best places to visit in Sheki.

This Persian-style 18th-century palace was built as a summer residence for the Shaki Khans, the powerful yet short-lived (1743 to 1819) rulers of Sheki. Commissioned by the third Khan of Sheki, Muhammad Husayn Khan Mushtaq, the palace served as a private residence of Khans.

The palace is achingly beautiful in and out. As soon as you enter the main gate, the sight of the lavishly decorated palace facade mesmerizes you.

As you tour the palace with a guide, you can’t help but fall in love with the unparalleled craftsmanship behind every mural and motif covering the walls and ceilings.

One of the most striking features of the palace is the huge stained-glass windows. The windows are made using one of the signature crafts of Sheki known as Shebeke where wooden lattices are painstakingly filled with thousands of pieces of brightly colored glass pieces and the art lies in how the artisans fit these glass pieces together without the use of glue or nails.

The sunlight filtering through the Shebeke windows creating colorful reflections on the floor is a sight to behold. Though, you have to be there at the right time (between 4 pm to 5 pm) to witness this natural phenomenon.

Intrigued? You can visit the Shebeke workshop inside the Sheki Fortress Walls to see it for real!

It took 10 years to construct the palace – 2 years to build the structure and 8 years to embellish the palace. Looking at the intricate murals and motifs, you can perceive why it took that much time!

Note: You can take as many pictures as you want of the palace’s exterior, however, photography is not allowed inside the palace. The CCTV cameras ensure that no one breaks the rule. If you are keen to take the photos, you can take special permission.

The palace is open from 9 am to 6 pm and costs 5 AZN for an entry ticket.

2. Explore Other Monuments Inside Sheki Fortress Complex

Apart from the majestic Sheki Khan’s Palace, which is, of course, a star attraction, there are a couple of other notable cultural attractions within the defensive walls of the fortress.

Perched high on the north-east end of the city, the expansive fortress complex is home to Sheki State Art Gallery, Sheki History and Ethnography Museum, Craftsmen’s House, ABAD Ceramics & Applied Arts Centre, Shebeke Workshop, Round Temple, or Nukha Three Saints Church.

As soon as you walk inside the fortress complex, the first building you see is Nukha Three Saints Church, a former Russian Orthodox Church. Recognized as a Caucasian Albanian church, historical evidence claims it to be a mosque converted to a chapel for the Imperial Russian garrison.

You can also walk around a bit to witness the crumbling fortress walls. Protected by arched gates and over 21 defensive towers, the wall measures 1300 meters in length, 8 meters (south) and 4 meters (north) in height, and 2.20 meters in breadth. The ruins narrate the story from the golden bygone era.

A little further is the Craftsmen’s House, a covered handicraft market where you can buy local handmade pieces like silk scarves, bracelets, tiny Shebeke glass panels for home decor, and other curios.

A few steps away from the local market is Xan Bağı Restoranı, a cafe, and a restaurant. If you go right from here, you’ll reach Sheki Khan’s Palace, and close to the palace is ABAD – Ceramics and Applied Art Center, an organization that helps local businesses. You can buy locally-made folk art products and food items here.

If you go left from the restaurant, you’ll reach Shebeke Craft House or Workshop, my favorite place here.

Owing to its rich and authentic heritage in some amazing art & craft forms, from embroidery and pottery to weaving and musical instruments, Sheki has been included in a UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Of these, the centerpiece is the Shebeke, a unique art where a craftsman, painstakingly, arranges the tiny pieces of stained glass into an oak or walnut wooden lattice and fastens them together without glue or nails.

However intricate it is, a master can create a window pane with hundreds of thousands of pieces.

At a Shebeke workshop, you can meet the master craftsman himself, Husein Hajimustafazadeh, and learn more about this Azeri folk art. He greets you with a smile and demonstrates this quintessential skill while explaining the nitty-gritty of the art form. You can even buy miniature samples.

Not far from the workshop is the Sheki State Art Gallery which showcases the history of Azeri art through its well-preserved artworks collection. The entrance ticket costs 5 AZ per foreign visitor.

Also, inside the fortress complex, Sheki History and Ethnography Museum feature exhibits showcasing the art, culture, history, ethnography, and cuisine of Shaki. The museum was not open to the public during my visit, check the local website for updates.

Sheki Fortress Complex is free to enter. There are separate entrance tickets for the monuments and museums on the fortress grounds.

3. Explore Shakikhanovs’ Palace

Literally, a true hidden gem in Sheki, Shakikhanovs’ Palace aka Shekikhanovs’ House is hidden between the residential houses in the old town’s beautiful neighborhood.

A rather inconspicuous entrance leads you to this palace-style house that remained the dwelling place for the close relatives of the Sheki Khans.

The palace’s exterior is plain when compared to its counterpart, Sheki Khans Palace, however, the interiors showcase the same beauty – elaborate frescoes cover the ceilings and walls, doors are exquisitely carved, and the Shebeke stained glass windows create magic.

The use of clay during the construction of the house keeps the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter.

When you search on Google, the same architectural monument is identified as the Winter Palace and Shakikhanovs’ Palace. We were asking locals for the directions for the winter palace and everyone was like there’s no place with this name here. So, Shakikhanovs’ Palace it is!

Note: Photography isn’t allowed inside the Shekikhanovs’ House.

The monument is open from 9 am to 6 pm and costs 5 AZ for a single entry.

4. Visit the Silk Route Caravanserai

A caravansary was a guest house or a roadside inn or a hostel along the ancient trade route where merchants rest their heads from a day’s long journey. Thus, it holds great cultural and historical value.

Out of 5 ancient caravanserais in Sheki, only 2 have survived to this time – Upper (Yukhari) Caravanserai and Lower (Ashaghy) Caravanserai.

A part of Upper Caravanserai has been converted into a Karvansaray Hotel and is a great place to spend a night or two to experience the prosperous Silk Road era.

Even if you don’t stay here, don’t miss exploring this historic gem. Free to enter, as you check in through the caravanserai’s huge wooden gateway to the dimly lit hallway leading to a palm-fringed inner courtyard, it feels like stepping into another time.

Surrounded by double-storey stone archways, the courtyard is full of character. After drinking in the history, you can enjoy traditional chai at their atmospheric tea house, cayxana.

The walk-in visits are welcome between 11 am and 7 pm.

A few steps away from the Upper Caravanserai, you can find another 18th-century caravanserai known as Lower Caravanserai.

Currently being restored, it has a rectangular shape with four entrance gates and is larger than its counterpart. You can enjoy this historic beauty from the outside, for now.

5. Relish Iconic Sheki Halva

Sheki halva is Sheki’s take on baklava! Why and how it originated?

Apparently, Sheki Khan’s cook prepared halva to satisfy his craving for a sweet that became the signature dish of the region.

Layers of fried rice flour dough known as rishta are stuffed with crumbled nuts like hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds, flavored with spices, and dipped to the core in sugar or honey syrup after the final touch wherein the top layer is sprinkled with saffron in an intricate lattice pattern that reminds of shabaka.

You can find this saccharine dessert at most of the sweet shops in Sheki. There are two of them that ace it – Halvaci Yahya (with seven generations into this business, they are one of the oldest halva chefs in the town) and Aliahmed Sweetstore (popular among locals and tourists for selling the best halva in the town).

6. Stroll the Atmospheric Streets of Sheki’s Old Town

One of my favorite things to do in Sheki is to get lost (there’s no better way to soak up the culture, trust me) in the maze of charming cobbled streets dotted with red-brick and gabled-roof merchant houses.

Everywhere are reminders of Sheki’s past – its silk trade history, and its Persian and Soviet influences.

While you stroll the Old Town in Sheki, Yukhari Bash, from one end to another, make it a point to stop off at an abandoned silk factory (reminiscent of silk trade history) and Juma Mosque!

7. Shop at Mirza Fatali Akhundov Street

Named after legendary Azeri writer Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, a historic trading street just outside the Upper Caravanserai is Sheki’s main shopping street lined with a row of small shops and boutiques selling authentic handicrafts.

From kelaghayi (traditional silk headscarves), cushions featuring intricate takalduz embroidery, clay pots (locally known as dopu, these are traditionally designed earthenware pots to cook Sheki’s signature dish, piti) to papags (a national hat made of lambswool), and traditional musical instruments – it’s a perfect spot to meet the artisans and buy their creations.

Kelagayi Ziya is one of the most famous stores to buy kelaghayi.

8. Eat the Famous Local Dish of Piti

It’s all important to taste the traditional cuisine to taste the culture of the place. So, when in Sheki, taste piti!

Almost synonymous with Sheki, Piti is a traditional Azeri dish. It’s a wholesome lamb, chickpea, and chestnut stew finished with onions, tomatoes, potatoes, dried cherry plums, saffron, and sheep tail fat.

Traditionally, the soup is served in a clay pot (the one it’s cooked in) with bread on the side. The crock pot imparts a distinctive aroma and flavor to the dish.

Relished as an appetizer and main in one, there’s a traditional way to enjoy piti – first, crumble the bread in a bowl, pour the broth from the pot into the bowl until the chunks are completely drowned, pepper it with sumac, and savor it as an appetizer.

Once done, pour the rest of piti stew into a bowl and mash suitably before devouring it as a main course.

Piti is ubiquitous in Sheki. You can order it wherever you plan to dine in Sheki. We (hubby and mini-me as I’m a vegetarian) tried it at Chalabi Khan Restaurant. Other restaurants in Sheki to try classic piti are Restoran Qaqarin and Nuxa Restaurant.

9. Enjoy a Cup of Coffee at Cafe Central or Espresso House

If you are craving a shot of caffeine while in Sheki, Cafe Central and Espresso House are the places to get your perfect coffee!

The ambiance, the vibe, the decor, the services – everything’s great – perfect places to relax with a nice cup of coffee.

10. Visit the Church of Kish

Located in the village of Kish (Kiş) in the Sheki region, the Church of Kish aka Kish Albanian Temple is an ancient Caucasian Albanian church.

The use of the word Albanian here has nothing to do with the natives of Albania in the Balkans, it’s purely coincidental. Caucasian Albanians were natives of the former state of Caucasian Albania in the medieval Caucasus that’s identified as Azerbaijan now.

There are over 4,000 (1999 census) Udis living in the Gabala region of northern Azerbaijan who identify themselves as descendants of Caucasian Albanians.

Coming back to the church, it’s about 7.7 km (4.7 miles) outside Sheki and takes over 15 minutes by car. It was constructed on the site of a pagan temple in the 1st century by the Apostle St. Eliseus and is considered the oldest in the Caucasus.

The church might date back to 1AD, however, the evidence from the excavations and archaeological exploration under the joint Azerbaijani-Norwegian Kish Project suggested that a cultic site existed here as early as 3,000 BC.

You can see the display of a host of artifacts from the early Bronze Age inside the church.

Outside the church, in the yard, there are ancient burial crypts where you can view the human skeletons, over 6.5 feet long, presumably of the attendants of the church.

The church is open from 9 am to 6 pm daily and the entry ticket costs 4 AZN.

How to Travel from Baku to Sheki

Marshrutka vans and coach buses run at regular intervals between Baku (International Bus Terminal) and Sheki (Central Bus Station). There’s also an overnight train between Baku (28 May Station) and Sheki, however, the services are paused for now.

However, if you travel with family, the best way to travel between Baku to Sheki is by private vehicle – the ease, comfort, speed, and freedom are matchless! Plus, it’s quite affordable for group travelers and family travelers.

You can hire a chauffeur-driven car for a one-way direct transfer or a return trip (same day) to Sheki from Baku, or vice-versa or opt to stop by and explore beautiful places along the way if you’ve enough time on your hands.

We hired a car and driver for 48 hours. The driver stopped in Lahic and Gabala on our way to Sheki. The next morning, we explored Sheki before continuing our journey back to Baku, stopping in Shamakhi along the way. You can even visit Gobustan (if you haven’t already) as it’s also on the same route.

You can ask your hotel to arrange for a car with a driver or book an independent tour via Viator.

choose a 2-day private tour:

Or a day tour, if time is an issue:

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