Heritage Days festival scheduled for this week

/By AzerNews - Amina Nazarli/

The International Day for Monuments and Sites is celebrated on April 18 each year around the world. The Day is marked by different types of activities, including visits to monuments and heritage sites, conferences and round tables.

To mark the event Azerbaijan will hold several events including open days at museums and reserves in Baku and across all regions.

Heritage Days festival, a joint project implemented by the Culture and Tourism Ministry and Icerisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve will be launched on April 18.

The first event of the festival is planned to be held in the State Historical and Ethnographic Reserve "Gala", where guests will have a chance to get acquainted with the historical and cultural reserve "Lagich”.

The festival will feature samples of jewelry, carpets and ethnic dishes. The audience will also see the process of national food preparation.

Within the festival the Azerbaijani national music - Mugam, gazelle and performances by folk group "Lagich” will surely enchant music lovers.

Baku, with its ancient and rich history has many historical monuments.

Maiden Tower, a historical symbol of Baku dating back to ancient times has always been a source of national pride. It is believed the monument was built as a Zoroastrian temple used for fire worshipping, sacrifice rituals and other religious ceremonies. In January 2014, the tower opened its doors to visitors after a major conservation work.

The Shirvanshahs Palace, located in the heart of the Old City is another place of interest which hold many mysteries and secrets. The palace was constructed in the 13th-16th centuries.The palace also has a colorful museum, which will not leave any history lover indifferent.

Carpet-weaving art is one of the most ancient crafts in Azerbaijan, that’s why the Carpet Museum is a must see place in Baku. Opened in 2014, the museum features unique samples of applied arts. Designed by acclaimed Austrian architect Franz Janz, the museum highlights all areas of the Azerbaijani carpet making school and features a wide assortment of centuries-old carpets and thread-work samples.