Discovering the Hidden Gem of Azerbaijan: A Journey Through Chamakhi
As part of the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) held in Baku, Azerbaijan, under the auspices of UN-Habitat, international media representatives were invited to immerse themselves in one of Azerbaijan's most historic regions: Chamakhi.
Organized jointly by the Media Development Agency and the operational society "WUF13 Azerbaijan," this press tour offered more than just a tourist itinerary. It revealed a lesser-known aspect of the country, where a millennium-old heritage, traditional craftsmanship, and sustainable development coexist in a single landscape.
Through visits to the Juma Mosque, the Meysari winery, the Abqora restaurant, and the historic village of Demirchi, visitors discovered a territory where history continues to live on in the stones, ancestral trades, and local flavors.
The Juma Mosque of Chamakhi: A Spiritual Memory of the Caucasus
The first stop on the journey was the majestic Juma Mosque, considered one of the oldest Muslim places of worship in the Caucasus and the oldest mosque in Azerbaijan.
Built in 743 under the first Arab governors of the region, the mosque has survived invasions, conflicts, and violent earthquakes that have marked the history of Chamakhi. Destroyed and rebuilt several times, including after the 19th-century and 1902 earthquakes, it remains today one of the country's architectural and spiritual symbols.
The building impresses not only with its history but also with its atmosphere. Under the restored cupolas, the silence of the place contrasts with the hustle and bustle of modern metropolises. The ornate motifs, arches, and vast prayer spaces evoke the depth of history of a city that was once the capital of the Shirvanshah kingdom.
Several foreign visitors were struck by the balance between modern restoration and preservation of the original character of the monument, recently rehabilitated in respect of its historical architecture.
Abqora and Meysari: The Renaissance of Azerbaijani Wine
A few kilometers from the mosque, the scenery changes dramatically. The green hills of Chamakhi now host one of the country's most ambitious wine projects: Shirvan Wines Llc and the Abqora Restaurant & Wine Club.
Located at the foot of the Caucasus, the Meysari domain has become in a few years a reference for organic wine in Azerbaijan. Founded in 2014, the exploitation is the first in the country to have obtained European Ecocert certification.
The vineyards now cover over 160 hectares, between 750 and 850 meters of altitude, in a region renowned for its temperate climate and favorable soils for viticulture.
Beyond wine, the Meysari experience also tells the story of a desire to rehabilitate local agricultural traditions through environmentally respectful methods. Here, grapes are harvested by hand, without pesticides or artificial irrigation, before being transformed using French technology equipment.
The lunch served at the Abqora restaurant prolongs this sensory immersion. Traditional cuisine revisited, local products, organic wines, and a panoramic view of the vineyards compose an experience where gastronomy and territory naturally respond to each other.
For several foreign journalists present, this stop revealed a less-known Azerbaijan, far from the oil-based clichés, where new forms of tourism are emerging, combining terroir, nature, and cultural heritage.
Demirchi, the Village Where the Memory of Blacksmiths Survives
The tour ended in the village of Dəmirçi, nestled in the mountains of Chamakhi and renowned for its ancestral traditions related to metalwork.
The name of the village itself means "blacksmith" in Azerbaijani. According to local historical accounts, this locality, whose origins date back to the 15th century, was once known as Guneychay before being renamed due to the development of ironworking.
In the narrow streets lined with stone houses, time seems to slow down. Some workshops still perpetuate the artisanal techniques inherited from generations of master blacksmiths. The village thus preserves a deeply rooted identity linked to traditional trades, in a region where craftsmanship was historically part of everyday life.
Beyond its patrimonial aspect, Demirchi also reflects another reality of rural Azerbaijan: that of small communities seeking to preserve their memory in the face of contemporary mutations.
Through this tour organized in the margins of WUF13, Azerbaijan sought to present international media with a broader vision of its identity: a country where urban development, historical heritage, and local traditions intersect.
And in Chamakhi, this diversity is condensed. A region where each stone, each vine, and each workshop tells a part of the history of the Caucasus.
This immersion has above all allowed us to discover a human, living Azerbaijan, deeply attached to the preservation of its cultural heritage.
