Why you must add Sheki to your Azerbaijan trip

Nestled in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, the Silk Road city of Sheki feels a world away from the skyscrapers and seafront boulevard of Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. Sheki’s historic centre is a labyrinth of cobbled streets dotted with caravansereis, merchant’s houses and palaces, set against a backdrop of densely forested mountains. The historic centre is compact enough to comfortably explore by foot in a day. In our opinion, it’s a must-see for anyone travelling in the Caucasus. Here are our reasons why you should add Sheki to your travel plans!

1: The Beautiful Sheki Khans Palace

Any exploration of Sheki should begin at the Sheki Khans Palace. Built between 1752 and 1792 as the Summer residence of the Sheki Khans, then rulers of the region, the palace certainly deserves its place on the UNESCO world heritage list.

The outside of the palace is decorated with geometric and natural patterns in vibrant colours. Inside is a series of six ornately painted rooms – each slightly different from the other. Paintings of flowers, birds and mythical creatures adorn the walls and ceilings. These walls and ceilings are bathed in a further wash of colour due to the intricate windows.

At first glance, the windows look like stained glass, but these are actually a special, local craft called ‘shebeke‘. In shebeke, small pieces of glass are fitted into a wooden lattice forming complex patterns – no nails or glue permitted. Indeed, the entire palace is – so the story goes – constructed without using glue or nails of any form!

Visiting the Sheki Khans Palace

The palace was, in our experience, the busiest place in Sheki from a tourism perspective. There were a couple of other small groups visiting at the same time as us. The entry fee was 2 AZN with no photos permitted inside.

Leaving the palace, it’s worth walking down the hill a short distance to visit the rest of the Summer Palace complex. Hidden within the complex is a shebeke workshop. The workshop gives an insight into the level of skill and precision required to create windows just like those in the palace. If you’re lucky, you might even get challenged to recreate a small window! Spoiler: it’s not anywhere near as easy as you may think!

2: The Picture-Perfect Caravanserei

Having tested your shebeke skills, wander down the main street, and through the grand doors of the caravanserei to the right. Caravansereis were an integral part of Silk Road infrastructure, constructed to accommodate travellers on the trade route. This caravanserei is now a hotel, but it’s still possible to explore the complex and admire the architecture of what was the biggest caravanserei on the Transcaucasus section of the Silk Road.

3: A delicious pot of Piti

As you wander down the hill, past the caravanserei, you may notice shops and stalls selling clay pots. Among these you will find piti pots. Although piti can be found all over Azerbaijan, it is a Sheki speciality and a must-try for any visitor. There is a set way to eat this lamb and chickpea creation to get the full piti experience.

How do you eat Piti?

First, tear up the pieces of bread into the bowl and pour the broth from the clay piti pot over the top. This soupy stuff forms the first course. Having enjoyed the broth, it’s then time to eat the remaining piti stew.

4: The Peaceful Sheki Khans Winter Palace

Happily full of piti, the Sheki exploration continues with a walk through a maze of unassuming residential streets. In the midst of these, you will stumble upon another palace – the Sheki Khans Winter Palace. The Winter Palace is far less visited than its Summer counterpart – we were fortunate enough to have the place to ourselves.

The exterior is a simpler version of the Summer Palace, with shebeke windows and a delicately painted eaves.

Also in common with the Summer Palace is the layout: six rooms, three on each floor, connected via narrow staircases.

However, not all of the rooms in the Winter Palace are painted. If anything, the lack of painting makes the kaleidoscope patterns dancing across the walls and floor caused by the shebeke windows even more mesmerising.

Visiting the Winter Palace in Sheki

When we visited, the entry fee was 2 AZN. It was also possible to buy a photo permit for an additional 3 AZN.

5: The Ancient Albanian Church of Kish

It’s now time to hitch a lift to Kish (Kiş), a pretty village about 20 minutes drive up the mountainside. Set in a walled garden, the Albanian Church of Kish has been converted into a compact but informative museum of Caucasian Albania. This ancient Christian nation once covered most of western Azerbaijan and southern Dagestan. The church is said to have been built in the 1st Century AD, making it one of the oldest Christian churches in the world. Aside from the historical significance, the church is in a beautifully tranquil setting with gorgeous views.

At the end of the day exploring Sheki, it’s time to find a tea house and while away the evening. Preferably in the centre of town, full of locals catching up over cay and chess.

So, is Sheki worth visiting?

Yes! Sheki is a very different version of Azerbaijan to that experienced in Baku, which makes it a fascinating place to visit even for those not making many stops in Azerbaijan. Travelling from Baku to Sheki in daylight is also a great way to admire the landscapes and places in between.

How do you get from Baku to Sheki?

Taxi – unsurprisingly, the fastest and most expensive way to get to Sheki is by taxi. The journey takes about 4 hours, so this may be an option if you’re short on time.

Train – although Sheki train station is located a way away (17km) from the city centre, it’s entirely possible to get to Sheki by train. The night trains that run between Baku and Balakan stop at Sheki. Ticket information and booking is available online via the Railway Services of Azerbaijan website.

Bus/minibus (marschrutka) – there are multiple buses per day between Baku and Sheki (Şəki), arriving into Sheki bus terminal. Buses take slightly longer than marschrutkas as they have to use a different route which doesn’t include mountain passes, but depending on how adrenalin-filled you like your journeys, the extra hour of journey time may be preferable! Either way, both are budget friendly options.

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