Gülüstan Fortress

The Gülüstan Fortress stands as a remarkable symbol of the Shirvanshah dynasty, representing both its beginning and its end. Established in the 8th century, this fortress was originally the residence of the Arab governors of the Mazyadid dynasty. It was here, in 1538, that the last stronghold of Derbent fell, following the loss of Baku to the Safavids and their return to the ancient capital of Shirvan. After conquering Shirvan, the Safavid prince Elkas Mirza settled in Gülüstan, gazing from the heights of Pirderak towards Shemakha, contemplating whether to establish a new dynasty of Shirvanshahs.

Between 1547 and 1548, Elkas Mirza led two uprisings, but ultimately, Gülüstan was destroyed, forcing him to flee to Crimea. He soon returned to Persia with a Turkish army. Today, only the unremarkable ruins of Gülüstan remain, a treacherous hour-long climb away, deemed dangerous due to steep paths and an abundance of snakes.

Located three kilometers northwest of Shemakha, the remnants of medieval walls and towers—both round and square—can still be seen. The fortress is believed to have been constructed in the 9th century and derives its name from the picturesque landscape surrounding it, as “Gülüstan” translates to “flower garden.”

Perched atop a rocky mountain rising 200 meters above Shemakha, this formidable fortification served for nine centuries as a crucial stronghold of the Shirvanshah state. Its impenetrability earned it the local nickname “Gyz Galasy,” meaning “Maiden’s Fortress.” Throughout centuries of foreign invasions, the residents of Shemakha found refuge within the fortress’s walls, which withstood assaults from Arab, Seljuk, Mongol, and Ottoman forces. The territory of Gülüstan was encircled by robust walls adorned with numerous round and square towers. A winding road led from the lower part of the fortress to the citadel at the mountain’s summit, surrounded by a continuous ring of fortified walls.

The orientalist and archaeologist Evgeny Pakhomov proposed that the ruins of this fortress were once the site of the city of Yazidiya, mentioned as the capital of Shirvan in “Tarikh al-Babe” until 1072. From the 11th to the 16th centuries, it served as a defensive fortress and the second residence of the Shirvanshahs after Shemakha.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the fortress underwent significant reconstruction and fortification. By the 14th and 15th centuries, Gülüstan became one of the residences of the Shirvan khans. In 2011, archaeological excavations revealed an underground passage built during the Shirvanshah period (9th to 16th centuries). Historians believe this tunnel was designed for surprise attacks on enemies from the rear and allowed the Shirvanshah to exit the fortress unnoticed in case of a siege. Equipped with steps carved into the rock, the underground corridor led from the fortress to the banks of the nearby Zoghalavay River. Remnants of a bridge were also discovered in the excavation area.

Following the capture of Baku by the Safavid ruler Ismail in 1501, his forces besieged Gülüstan, but they were unable to conquer it. Attempts to take the fortresses “Kale-i Bugurt” and “Surkhab” also proved unsuccessful. As a result of fierce resistance, Ismail was forced to lift the siege of Gülüstan. In the spring of 1538, a 20,000-strong Safavid army advanced on Shirvan once more. The country was ravaged, and the Qizilbash (nomadic tribes) besieged Gülüstan, ultimately capturing it after a prolonged siege. The emirs of Shirvan were executed, and the last Shirvanshah, Shah Rukh, was taken to Tabriz, where he was killed. In 1547, the brother of Shah Tahmasp, the beylerbey (governor) of Shirvan, Elkas Mirza, led a rebellion that was suppressed, forcing him to flee. In Gülüstan, Elkas’s supporters continued to resist the Shah’s forces, led by Mehtar Deval Yar. The Shah sent an envoy to negotiate, but he was executed by the fortress’s defenders.

For three months, the Qizilbash were unable to capture the fortress. Hasan-bek Rumlu noted that the fortress was ultimately taken with the help of women angry at Deval Yar, who threw tent ropes to the Shamlus (Turkic cavalry), enabling them to climb the fortress walls. By order of Shah Tahmasp I, the Gülüstan Fortress was demolished, marking the end of the Shirvanshah state and destroying the symbol of Shirvan’s independence.

The Gülüstan Fortress consisted of an outer fortification and an inner citadel. The external walls and towers began on the southeastern side of the mountain and extended northwestward. Two large round towers and the main gates of the fortress were located in the southeastern part of these walls, while a square tower was situated in the northern section. The remaining towers of the outer wall were strategically positioned between these main towers, adapting to the mountainous terrain and extending along the northwestern slope.

Eight towers of the fortress remain in ruins today; two of them were uncovered alongside residential structures during excavations. Both the outer and inner walls and towers were constructed from hewn quadrangular stones bonded with lime mortar mixed with ash. The now-ruined walls do not allow for a clear understanding of the shape of the upper sections.

In the 14th century, the poet Arif Ardebili wrote about the Gülüstan Fortress, noting that its walls featured carvings of human heads made of stone. The 17th-century traveler Adam Olearius, who visited Shemakha, also reported seeing images of stone male heads on the fortress walls. In 1946, I.M. Jafarzade discovered carved images of human heads among stones that had fallen into the sea from the construction of the Sabail Castle in Baku Bay. These stones bore relief inscriptions indicating the date of construction—632 AH (Islamic calendar). This discovery suggests that similar stone carvings of human figures may have adorned the walls of medieval structures in Shirvan.

During archaeological work conducted between 1958 and 1961 in the citadel of Gülüstan Fortress, three rooms, a corridor, and halls were uncovered. All the discovered spaces were rectangular in shape, varying in size. The fortress towered 190 to 200 meters above the surrounding landscape, and water was supplied to it through clay pipes.

The Gülüstan Fortress endured until the late 16th century. It suffered extensive damage not only from warfare but also from numerous earthquakes, leaving behind only its ruins. These remnants stand as a testament to the rich historical past of the city, visible as one approaches Shemakha. From the hilltop where the fortress ruins are located, visitors are treated to a breathtaking panorama of the city and its surroundings.