Diri-Baba Mausoleum

What do you think might have attracted European travelers and explorers to the territory of modern-day Azerbaijan in the 17th century? Where, by the order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1629-1676), were sacred Christian relics sought? What compelled a Russian general and an academic to unite their efforts and venture into the Caucasus? Yes, you guessed it right; we are talking about the Diri-Baba Mausoleum (Diri Baba məqbərəsi), also known in full translation as the Mausoleum of the Living (or Incorruptible) Grandfather.

The Diri-Baba Mausoleum is one of the most remarkable historical monuments in the country. Firstly, as is fitting for a significant religious structure, it is surrounded by mysteries and enigmas. Understanding these mysteries changes the way one studies the mausoleum. Secondly, it is not merely a museum; it is an active shrine where the care of ordinary people who come to pray envelops the site (the Diri-Baba Mausoleum has no official custodian or individual maintaining order within it). Thirdly, it is a unique architectural monument—an edifice that forms a cohesive whole with the rock, with its main chamber located in a cave or grotto. This architectural marvel somewhat resembles the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. Carved into a sheer cliff, a platform has been created on which a two-story mausoleum with a dome made of white limestone stands.

Islam began to spread in the territory of present-day Azerbaijan during the early periods of the religion’s proliferation across the globe, around 20-22 years after the Islamic calendar began (which dates from 622 AD, the year when Prophet Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina), approximately in 641-643 AD. This was facilitated by the conquest of these lands by the warriors of the Arab Caliphate.

It is believed that the local Turkic tribes embraced this new religion relatively peacefully, without excessive violence from the Arabs—an occurrence that was not universal. This peaceful acceptance contributed to the emergence of Sufism in the region. Sufis withdrew from worldly life, seeking secluded places to spend long years in meditation and communion with God. Such caves, which we still see on the slopes of small mountains on the outskirts of the village of Maraza, were ideal for these purposes.

The mausoleum was erected in 1402 by the order of the most famous of the Shirvanshahs, Ibrahim I. (“The 805th year of the Hijra,” as noted in a decorative inscription between the first and second floors.)

Sheikh Ibrahim I (1382-1417) was the ruler of Shirvan and the founder of the third dynasty of Shirvanshahs. He saved the country from devastation by Tamerlane and the invasion of Tokhtamysh. Under his reign, the boundaries of his state significantly expanded, with Derbent and part of the Mughan steppe falling under the control of the Shirvanshah. The country freed itself from foreign domination and remained an independent state for nearly 100 years.

Although Shemakha lost its title as the capital of the Shirvanshah state by the end of the 12th century, which transferred to Baku—now fortified with walls and better protected—it remained the largest city in the country. Here, the Shirvanshahs predominantly resided when the state was not under threat.

Naturally, a large city was home to people of various religious denominations and sects, including Sufis, whose practices incorporated the concept of zuhd (asceticism), which differed somewhat from mainstream Islamic practices. In Sufism, zuhd is characterized by renunciation and meditation. Those who followed this path were called zahids, and they established a form of retreat approximately 10 kilometers from Shemakha, away from caravan routes. They lived in caves similar to ones still seen at the site.

There are several theories regarding the identity of the person over whose grave the mausoleum was built. Some believe he was a muezzin at Ibrahim I’s court, others suggest he was a figure named Pir-Magomed, who died while praying, and yet others propose that he was the traveler Atam ibn Amir. However, the most credible version is the one recounted by local residents to 17th-century travelers and researchers. According to their account, a renowned Sufi known as the Teacher withdrew for meditation in one of the cells and became so deeply entranced that he could not be brought back. Moreover, Diri-Baba remained in a meditative pose for over 300 years, appearing almost alive, before awakening and disappearing.

German traveler Adam Olearius, who visited these places in 1636, wrote about it:

“He seems to stand incorruptible on his knees, dressed in a gray cloak, as if in prayer. This miracle seems to have been granted by his former scribe, Seyid-Ibrahim, from God, so that his teacher might always appear as a pious figure in prayer even after death… Every year, a white cloak is placed over this gray cloak, and the old one is divided into pieces and distributed to pilgrims: at a certain time, people travel from afar to this place, often on foot.” (Source: “Journey to Moscow and Persia”).

Returning to the history of the mausoleum’s construction, by the end of the 14th century, the incorrupt body of Diri-Baba had been resting in its grotto within the rock for approximately 50 years. Knowledge of him spread far beyond the borders of the Shirvanshah state, attracting hundreds of pilgrims. During this time, the state itself found itself caught between two fires: to the north, the Golden Horde ruled, with the Mongols under Tokhtamysh conducting devastating raids, while to the south, the forces of the notoriously brutal Tamerlane approached.

Unexpectedly, Timur the Lame, who had previously ravaged Persia and Southern Azerbaijan, offered assistance to Ibrahim I in the struggle against Tokhtamysh. He marched along the Caspian coast toward Derbent and, somewhere between 1400 and 1403, stopped near Shemakha. There is a theory, albeit unconfirmed by historical facts, that Timur, a follower of Sufism, was eager to see Diri-Baba. This may have dictated his special regard for the Shirvanshah state.

Following this, as a gesture of goodwill, Ibrahim I commissioned his architect to construct the mausoleum, which was completed by 1402.

1. The aforementioned traveler from the German lands, Adam Olearius, in his travel notes dated December 27, 1636, wrote about the area surrounding the Diri-Baba Mausoleum:

“Around the burial site of Diri-Baba, many caves and chambers have been carved into the same mountain, where pilgrims stop and make sacrifices. Some of these chambers were so high above the ground that they could not be climbed without a ladder… Four spacious chambers were arranged within, places for beds and cradles—all hewn from the rock.” He also mentioned an inscription above the entrance to the incorrupt elder’s tomb: “O God, open this door!”

2. In his book “Seyahatname” (Book of Travels), the Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi, in 1647, wrote:

“I met Sheikh Haji Salah ad-Din, who had withdrawn from the world and engaged in worship at the mausoleum. He told me that the one buried there, known as Diri-Baba, lived during the time of Shirvanshah Ibrahim I and held the position of azanji—a muezzin—at the Shirvanshah court.”

3. In 1672, Russian envoys visited the Diri-Baba mausoleum. Semyon Ivanovich and Boris Andreevich Pazukhin received a royal decree (from Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich) in 1669 for an embassy to several khanates. Among other tasks, they were instructed to search for the relics of Saint Simeon near Shemakha. On March 29, the envoys arrived in Shemakha at night, having traveled through Lyangar (also known as Swine Bazaar) and Baku, and suffered violence from tax collectors who nearly beat Nikita Medvedev and Maksimka Yakovlev to death while extorting fees in Talysh. They managed to gather information along the way about the relics of Saint Shikh-Anat or Pir-Magomed, also known as Pir-Miruzya (Maraza), from Turkish lands, believed to be a holy martyr. The identity of the Saint Simeon (notably, an unusual spelling of “Simeon”) sought near Shemakha remains a mystery. The global network also remains silent on this matter. It is possible that this was a covert mission to the remains of Diri-Baba.

4. From December 1683 to January 1684, the German naturalist Engelbert Kaempfer traveled through Azerbaijan, visiting many cities and shrines. His drawing of Baku from 1683 is considered the first reliable depiction of the capital.

5. Dutch writer and artist Cornelis de Bruyn, after a lengthy journey that began in Arkhangelsk, reached the Diri-Baba Mausoleum in 1703, leaving behind the oldest known image of the mausoleum for posterity.

The structure closely adjoins the rock, within which the cave is located. It is in this cave that the incorrupt body rested for three centuries. Modern photographs taken from approximately the same location reveal that even the path from 400 years ago has been preserved.

Here are some intriguing facts that highlight its uniqueness and significance:

1. Unlike other monumental structures, particularly mausoleums designed to attract attention, the Diri-Baba Mausoleum is cleverly concealed from prying eyes. Its dimensions are calculated precisely to ensure that the building remains invisible from the surrounding landscape: it is shielded by the protrusions of the rocks on the sides and is set just beneath the mountain’s edge. The façade faces away from the main approach, turning its back to the nearby hill.

2. An old, partially ruined staircase leads not to the entrance of the mausoleum but rather to a small underground grotto nearby. 

3. The town of Maraza, located near the mausoleum, has a rich history. Long before the mausoleum was built, there was an ancient city, presumably named Marizad, which was eventually abandoned, leaving only a cemetery in its wake. In the early 19th century, attempts were made to settle Germans in the area, but they quickly fled to other colonies. Later, in the mid-19th century, efforts were made to revitalize the town by settling Molokans. Between 1843 and 1845, 560 individuals from various provinces, including Tavricheskaya, Bessarabia, and Saratov, moved to Maraza. However, these attempts also proved unsuccessful. By the early 20th century, Maraza began to thrive again, becoming home to the Shirvanshahs (Shemakhins).

4. The cliffs surrounding the Diri-Baba Mausoleum are home to an astonishing number of pigeons. Each morning, when they take flight for their daily foraging, the sky is almost obscured by their numbers, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

5. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the Diri-Baba Mausoleum is that its main chamber is located on the second floor. Typically, even if a structure is elevated, the entrance staircase leads directly to the main area. In contrast, the first floor of the Diri-Baba Mausoleum serves as a sort of foyer, where weary travelers can rest and escape the heat.

6. To access the second floor from the first, visitors must navigate a narrow passageway—a staircase carved into the rock that leads to the hall on the second floor and ultimately to the dome. All the staircases within the mausoleum are steep, with high steps, and the passageways are narrow and low. This design likely serves to prevent warriors from entering the sanctuary, allowing only pilgrims in light clothing to pass through.

7. The second floor of the mausoleum is the most significant part of the structure. It features a wide square room that opens into a cave, which once housed the cell of Diri-Baba, believed to be his burial site. This cell has long been sealed, but it is thought that the relics of Diri-Baba are still preserved there.

8. From the second floor, visitors can again ascend through a narrow passage to the very top, where a spherical dome adorned with floral ornamentation awaits. Standing near the dome, one can appreciate how the architecture of the Diri-Baba Mausoleum harmoniously integrates with the surrounding landscape. It is said that if one makes a wish while touching the round dome and then circles it three times, that wish will come true.

9. However, the mausoleum is not just an architectural monument; it remains a place where people come to pray even today. Local residents maintain order both inside the structure and in its vicinity. The interior of the mausoleum features a carpeted floor, a kettle, bottles of water, and a niche containing the Quran and prayer beads, creating a serene environment for worshippers.