Chirag Castle is one of the most impressive tower fortresses still standing in Azerbaijan. Built in the fifth century by the Sassanids, the castle was used until the 18th century to defend the southern reaches of the Guba district as part of a long defensive wall that stretched from the Caspian Sea to the mountains. The castle, whose name means "lighthouse," was integral in the defenses of the city of Guba because of its tall tower, upon which a fire was lighted when foreigners were approaching the wall. Chirag Castle is a popular sightseeing spot despite its remote location.
The Maiden Tower of Baku is an iconic structure that has been likened in cultural significance to the Eiffel Tower of Paris or the Acropolis of Athens. The exact age of the structure is not known because of conflicting radio-carbon dating, but it is believed that a man-made structure has been on the site since the 12th century BC. Built on a rock cliff that slopes down to the sea, the tower stands eight stories above "old town" Baku. Calligraphy on the tower reads: "Tower of Masud, son of Davud," but no one is certain who these individuals were or why they erected the tower.
Gobustan State Reserve is an important prehistoric site occupying a hill and several rock escarpments at the southeast end of Big Caucasian Ridge, between the Pirsagat and Sumgait rivers. The site is known for 6,000 beautifully preserved rock carvings that depict ritual dances, animals, primitive man, bullfights, boats, battles and heavenly bodies. The carvings, which date from 5,000 to 40,000 years ago, are so important to the Azerbaijani that several images from the walls of Gobustan are featured on the back of the country's bank notes. Now a World Heritage Site for its "outstanding universal significance," Gobustan State Reserve is one of the most popular attractions for visitors to Azerbaijan.
