Azernews.Az

By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade

Azerbaijan, a country with a rich culture and centuries-old history, has a variety of architectural monuments and sights, with historical and cultural reserves playing a special role among such attractions.

Head of the public relations department of the agency Kanan Guluzade told Trend that based on the proposals put forward by State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, a new, modern infrastructure is being created on the territory of the Yanardag Reserve.

He stated that a new concept for the modernization of the infrastructure of reserves in Azerbaijan will be presented to the public in the coming months.

“We believe that the document will be already submitted in May. Currently, work on the reconstruction of the Yanardag State Historical-Cultural and Natural Reserve, which is included in the structure of the state agency, is being completed. In total, there are seven reserves included in the structure of the agency. Besides Yanardag, it is Temple of Fire-worshipers State Historical-Architectural Reserve, Basgal State Historical-Cultural Reserve, Khinalig State Historical-Architectural and Ethnographic Reserve, Lahij State Historical-Cultural Reserve, Yukhary Bash State Historical-Architectural Reserve in Sheki and the Kish State Historical-Architectural Reserve. By decree of the President of Azerbaijan, the state agency was instructed to prepare relevant information on the current state of Basgal State Historical and Cultural Reserve and prepare proposals for the development of tourism infrastructure within territory of this reserve,” Guluzade said.

Cultural reserves and historical sites operating in the regions of the country have attracted many visitors throughout the year.

One of such examples is Ateshgah Temple. The place that is saturated with ancient history and religious beliefs is among the most attractive places of the country. The number of tourists visiting the place is increasing every year. Last year the number of tourists visiting Ateshgah was 30,751, while 25,346 of which were foreigners. The main share of those who visited Ateshgah made up the tourists coming from Russia and Arab countries.

Basgal settlement is located in the Ismayilli district at an altitude of 998 meters above sea level and is also a part of the state cultural and historical reserve. It is protected by the state.

According to a number of historians, Basgal was founded in the fourth century.

The small yet miraculous Khinalig is located at the peak of the Caucasus Mountains, 2,350 meters above the sea in Guba region. This village itself is enlisted as a State Historic-Architecture and Ethnography Preserve from 2007.

There are a number of tours and guests houses in the village, which make trip to Khinalig more convenient for tourists.

In 2017, a great number of tourists visited the State Historical-Cultural and Natural Reserve of Yanardag. During the year, 54,717 out of 63,574 people that visited the place were foreign tourists. They mostly came from Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and other countries.

Last year, 56,742 tourists visited the Yukhari Bash State Historical-Architectural Reserve in Sheki. Some 40,182 people visited Lahij State Historical and Cultural Reserve in Ismayilli, and 25,850 tourists came to see Kish Historical-Architectural Reserve in Sheki.

In 2016, some 356,000 tourists visited the historical and cultural sites, whereas in 2017 this figure reached 486,233, a considerable share, namely, 166,153 of which fall on foreign citizens.

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