# Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Baku > The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is a 15th-century complex on the highest point of Icherisheher, Baku's walled Old City: the palace, the Divankhana, a royal mausoleum, the Shah mosque with its minaret and a bathhouse. It is open daily 10:00–19:00. Foreign visitors pay **24 AZN** (locals 7 AZN). Allow 1–1.5 hours; it is a 7–10-minute uphill walk from Icherisheher metro. Web page: https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/shirvanshahs-palace - City: [Baku](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku), Azerbaijan - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - Entry: 24 AZN for foreign visitors - With kids: Fine with kids - Opening hours: Every day, 10:00–19:00 - Adult (foreign visitor): 24 AZN - Child 5–17 (foreign visitor): 12 AZN - Azerbaijani citizens: Adult 7 AZN, student 3 AZN, child 5–17 2 AZN - What it covers: “Shirvanshahs Palace & Treasure” ticket — the whole complex - Under 5s: Not listed in the price list — ask at the ticket desk - Paying: Cards are not taken everywhere in the Old City — carry some manat in cash - Address: 76, 1st Gasr Lane (1-ci Qəsr döngəsi), Icherisheher - Metro: İçərişəhər (Icherisheher), then 7–10 min on foot via the Double Gates - Coordinates: 40.36611, 49.83333 - Facts checked: 02.11.2026 ## Key facts - **15th century** — main buildings raised under Shirvanshah Khalilullah I after the capital moved from Shamakhi to Baku (source: Icherisheher Reserve Administration; TDV Encyclopedia of Islam; Russian Wikipedia) - **2000** — listed by UNESCO with the walled city and the Maiden Tower — Azerbaijan's first World Heritage Site (source: Icherisheher Reserve Administration; English Wikipedia, Old City (Baku)) - **The only one** — of the Shirvanshahs' many palaces to survive to this day (source: Icherisheher Reserve Administration, monument page) - **1435/36** — date on the royal mausoleum portal — Khalilullah built it for his mother and son (source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam; Russian Wikipedia) - **1441/42** — date in the inscription on the Shah mosque minaret (source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **52 rooms** — in the two-storey palace originally — 27 below, 25 above (source: Icherisheher Reserve Administration; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1585/86** — the Eastern Portal, or Murad's Gate, added under Ottoman rule — the last piece of the ensemble (source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Bayil stones** — carved slabs from a castle that lay under Baku Bay for centuries now pave the middle courtyard (source: Icherisheher Reserve Administration; TDV Encyclopedia of Islam) - **≈ 1 ha** — the area the ensemble covers on top of the hill (source: Russian Wikipedia, Palace of the Shirvanshahs) - **3 courtyards** — on different levels — upper, middle and lower with the mausoleum, mosque, bathhouse and ovdan (source: Icherisheher Reserve Administration; Russian Wikipedia) ## Palace of the Shirvanshahs tickets and prices Under the Icherisheher Reserve's official price list, foreign adults pay **24 AZN** and foreign children aged 5–17 pay **12 AZN**. Azerbaijani citizens pay 7 AZN, with 3 AZN for students and 2 AZN for children. The ticket is called “Shirvanshahs Palace & Treasure” and covers the whole complex. Buy it at the ticket desk by the entrance. There is no need to book: the only queues come when tour groups arrive. Resellers online charge more than the desk, so an online voucher only makes sense if it bundles a guide. Many blogs still quote 15 AZN or less — those figures are out of date. Visiting the [Maiden Tower](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-maiden-tower) too? It is 19 AZN for foreign adults, so budget 43 AZN for both. > **Bring manat, not just a card** Visa and Mastercard work in most Baku hotels, restaurants and shops, but small Old City ticket desks and stalls may want cash. Withdraw a few manat (AZN, ₼) from an ATM before you climb the hill — at 24 AZN a head, a family ticket adds up quickly. ## Opening hours and the best time to go The palace is open **every day from 10:00 to 19:00** with no weekly closing day, according to the Reserve's official site. Last entry is not published, so arrive by 18:00 to see all three courtyards without rushing. Go at opening time if you can. The courtyards are empty, the stone is still cool and the Shah mosque sits in soft shade. Tour groups arrive from late morning, and in July and August the open terraces get very hot. Some guides still say it closes at 18:00 — the official hours are longer. ## How to get to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs 1. Take the metro to İçərişəhər (Icherisheher), the end of the red line. From Heydar Aliyev Airport, the Aeroexpress H1 bus runs to 28 May; from there it is two metro stops. A taxi from the airport takes about 30 minutes. 2. Since spring 2026, Baku's public transport also takes contactless foreign bank cards; otherwise buy a BakıKART at the station machine. 3. Leave the station and enter the Old City through the **Double Gates** (Qoşa Qala), right across the road. 4. Walk uphill following signs for “Şirvanşahlar Sarayı” — the palace sits at the highest point of the Old City, 7–10 minutes on cobbles. 5. Coming from the Maiden Tower? Walk up Böyük Qala street, about 5–7 minutes. ## How long does it take? Plan on **1 to 1.5 hours** for the palace, the Divankhana, the mausoleums, the mosque and the bathhouse in the lower courtyard. A fast walk-through takes 30–40 minutes, but you will miss the carving, which is the whole point. With a guide, or if you photograph every portal, give it up to two hours. Combine it with the Maiden Tower, 5–7 minutes downhill, and you have a solid half-day in the Old City. ## What to see inside - **The palace building** — two storeys that once held 52 rooms. Upstairs is the domed octagonal hall, probably used for receptions, plus the museum display. - **The Divankhana** — a small arcaded courtyard around an octagonal rotunda. Its portal, carved with arabesques and muqarnas, is the finest stonework in the complex. - **The royal mausoleum** (1435/36) — its portal inscription says Khalilullah built it for his mother and his son. - **The Shah (Palace) mosque** and its 1441/42 minaret — the postcard silhouette. - **The mausoleum of Seyid Yahya Bakuvi**, the court scholar, known as the “dervish's mausoleum”: an octagon with a pyramid roof and star-patterned stone window grilles. - **The middle courtyard**, paved with inscribed slabs from the Bayil castle, which lay under the Caspian in Baku Bay for centuries. - **The bathhouse and the ovdan** — a sunken palace bath and the underground cistern that supplied it. - **Murad's Gate**, the Eastern Portal, with its Arabic inscription. ## Is the Palace of the Shirvanshahs worth visiting? Yes, if architecture and medieval history appeal to you. With the Maiden Tower it is the Old City's headline sight, and there is no other 15th-century ensemble of this quality in Baku. The carved portals of the Divankhana and the mausoleum are worth the climb. Be realistic, though: there are no lavish interiors, the rooms are modest and 24 AZN is steep by local standards. If museums are not your thing, the domes and minaret are easy to see while wandering [the Old City](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-old-town). Children usually enjoy the courtyards and the underground cistern more than the display rooms. ## A short history The Shirvanshahs ruled Shirvan, in what is now Azerbaijan. In the 15th century they moved their capital from Shamakhi to Baku, and under **Khalilullah I** this ensemble rose on the hilltop inside the walls, built of local golden limestone in the Shirvan-Absheron style. After the Safavids took Baku in 1501 the palace declined. Ottoman rule added Murad's Gate in 1585/86; in the 19th century the Russian army used the buildings as warehouses and changed walls and windows. Major restoration came in the 1930s and again from the 1990s. Historians still debate what some buildings were for — the Divankhana may have been a court, a reception hall or a memorial. > **Dress for the mosque** The complex is a museum, but it includes a mosque and tombs. Covered shoulders and knees are the respectful choice, and women may want a light scarf in case an attendant asks. In summer choose loose, light clothing — the courtyards have little shade. ## Guided tour or on your own? The site is easy to do alone: paths lead down through the three courtyards and the main buildings have signs. What you miss without a guide is the story — the inscriptions, the arguments over the Divankhana, the Bayil stones — and without it most people are out in half an hour. Old City walking tours almost always include the palace, the Maiden Tower and the caravanserais, which suits a first day in Baku. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Cash in manat for tickets — 24 AZN per foreign adult - [ ] Arriving by 18:00, ideally at 10:00 opening - [ ] Comfortable shoes for cobbles and stairs - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered for the mosque - [ ] Water and a hat in summer - [ ] 1–1.5 hours set aside, plus the Maiden Tower nearby ## Shirvanshahs Palace vs Maiden Tower vs Underground Bath | | Shirvanshahs Palace | Maiden Tower | Underground Bath | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 15th-century ensemble: palace, mosque, tombs | 8-storey tower, a museum since 1964 | Early 17th-century bathhouse | | Foreign adult | 24 AZN | 19 AZN | 10 AZN | | Foreign child 5–17 | 12 AZN | 9 AZN | 6 AZN | | Hours | Daily 10:00–19:00 | Daily 10:00–19:00 | Daily 10:00–18:00 | | Time needed | 1–1.5 h | ≈ 45 min | ≈ 30 min | Prices and hours from the Icherisheher Reserve's official site; time needed is YesGo's estimate. If you pick just one, pick the palace — it gives the most for one ticket. ## Baku's historic sights compared Every historic place in Baku rated by YesGo. - [Maiden Tower](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-maiden-tower) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · 19 AZN for foreign visitors - [Old City (Icherisheher)](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-old-town) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free entry, museums from 10 ₼ - [Palace of the Shirvanshahs](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/shirvanshahs-palace) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 24 AZN for foreign visitors - [Flame Towers and Highland Park](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/flame-towers) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free; funicular 1 AZN - [Baku Boulevard](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-boulevard) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Heydar Aliyev Center](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/heydar-aliyev-center) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 15 AZN; classic cars +10 AZN - [Azerbaijan Carpet Museum](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-carpet-museum) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN - [Ateshgah Fire Temple](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/ateshgah-fire-temple) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 15 AZN for foreign visitors - [Gobustan rock art and mud volcanoes](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/gobustan) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ 10–15 AZN, volcanoes extra ## Old City and the Boulevard in half a day Top to bottom through Icherisheher: the palace on the hill, the Maiden Tower, the Carpet Museum and a seafront walk on the Boulevard. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Old City (Icherisheher)](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-old-town) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h · Free entry, museums from 10 ₼ 2. [Palace of the Shirvanshahs](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/shirvanshahs-palace) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 24 AZN for foreign visitors 3. [Maiden Tower](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-maiden-tower) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · 19 AZN for foreign visitors 4. [Azerbaijan Carpet Museum](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-carpet-museum) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN 5. [Baku Boulevard](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-boulevard) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free ## Good to know The Shirvanshahs also had residences in Shamakhi and at the nearby Gulustan fortress, but only ruins remain there — the Baku palace is the one that survived. The “Palace mosque” or “Shah mosque” is inside this complex and is covered by the same ticket. ## Tips - Start at the palace at 10:00 and walk down to the Maiden Tower afterwards — it is all downhill. - The best shot of the Shah mosque dome and minaret is from the lower courtyard, looking up, in the morning. - Look down in the middle courtyard: the Bayil slabs are covered in carved script and figures that spent centuries underwater. - Skip resold e-vouchers without a guide — the desk is no dearer and the queue is short. - In summer, go at opening or in the last hour — the courtyards have almost no shade. - Follow the palace with the [Carpet Museum](https://yesgo.io/azerbaijan/baku/baku-carpet-museum) on the Boulevard: the same patterns, in wool. ## Questions ### How much is the ticket to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs? 24 AZN for foreign adults and 12 AZN for foreign children aged 5–17, per the Icherisheher Reserve's official price list. Azerbaijani citizens pay 7 AZN. ### What are the Palace of the Shirvanshahs opening hours? Every day from 10:00 to 19:00, with no weekly closing day. Arrive by 18:00 to see everything. ### How long do you need at the Palace of the Shirvanshahs? 1–1.5 hours for all three courtyards, the palace, the mosque, the tombs and the bathhouse; up to two hours with a guide. ### How do I get to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs? Metro to İçərişəhər, through the Double Gates and uphill following the signs — 7–10 minutes. From the Maiden Tower it is 5–7 minutes up Böyük Qala street. ### Is the Palace of the Shirvanshahs worth visiting? Yes, for the 15th-century stone carving — the best in Baku. If you are not into museums, you can see the domes from the Old City lanes for free. ### Can I pay by card? Cards work widely in Baku, but bring some manat in cash for Old City ticket desks in case the card terminal is not working. ### Is the Palace of the Shirvanshahs a UNESCO site? Yes. Since 2000 it has been part of the “Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower” World Heritage Site. ### Do I need a guide? No, the site is easy to explore alone. A guide adds the stories behind the inscriptions and the Bayil stones; Old City walking tours usually include the palace. ### Is there a dress code? It is a museum, but there is a mosque and tombs inside — covered shoulders and knees are best, and women may want a light scarf. ## How we checked Hours, prices and the address come from the Icherisheher Reserve's official site on 02.11.2026 and carry the “official” badge. Ticket resellers and travel guides quote 15 AZN and closing at 18:00; that conflicts with the official price list, so we show the official figures. Inscription dates, room numbers and history are checked against the TDV Encyclopedia of Islam and Wikipedia. Sources disagree on when it became a museum-reserve (Wikipedia: 1964; the Reserve: since 2000), so we leave that out of the facts. Under-5 pricing, card payment at the desk and walking times are marked “verifying”. ## Sources - Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration: Museums section (hours, address) and museums price list, 02.11.2026 - Icherisheher Reserve Administration: The Shirvanshahs Palace Complex — monument page - TDV Encyclopedia of Islam: Şirvanşahlar Sarayı - English and Russian Wikipedia: Palace of the Shirvanshahs, Old City (Baku); Wikidata Q338889 - Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency (AYNA), 29.04.2026 — foreign bank cards on public transport - Guided Azerbaijan, December 2025 — card acceptance in Azerbaijan --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.