Round Tower (Mardakan)

Round Tower (Azerbaijani: Dairəvi Mərdəkan qalası) is a castle located in Mardakan, Baku, Azerbaijan. The castle is also called Shikh fortress by local residents.

Round Tower
Azerbaijani: Dairəvi Mərdəkan qalası
Location within Azerbaijan
General information
StatusUsed as museum
Architectural styleArchitectural school of Shirvan-Absheron
LocationMardakan
Town or city Baku
Country Azerbaijan
Coordinates40.495713°N 50.147079°E / 40.495713; 50.147079
Completed1232
ClientFariburz III
Height16 m
Technical details
MaterialLimestone
Design and construction
ArchitectAbd al-Majid Masood oghlu

History
Inscription of the tower

At the top of the gate of tower there are three inscriptions written in Arabic on a large rectangular stone layer. According to the first inscription on the castle, it was built during reign of Fariburz III. The second inscription shows that, the owner of the Round Mardakan fortress was Ihsac bin Kakuli and it was built in 1232. The third inscription indicates that it was built by architect Abd al-Majid Masood oghlu.[1]

Architectural features

The height of the Round Mardakan Tower is 16 meters. It is built of limestone and lime solution. The fortress surrounding the tower consists of a square-shaped yard (25x25 m), surrounded by stone walls, seven meters high on each side. At corners of the fortress wall, there are towers, railing and watchtowers. The tower is round in the plan and it gets narrow upward.[2][3]

The height of the tower is divided into three parts. These portions are covered with domes and connected to each-other with an installed stair. To enlight the second and third floors there are special windows, enlarging from outside to inside, in the form of a narrow strip.[2][4]

See also

References
  1. "Dairəvi Mərdəkan qalası Memarlıq xüsusiyyətləri" (in Azerbaijani). kataloq.gomap.az. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  2. "Dairəvi Mərdəkan qalası Memarlıq xüsusiyyətləri" (in Azerbaijani). haqqinda.az. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  3. Л. Г. Мамиконов – Замок с круглым донжонов в селении Мардакяны, ИА, т. V, Baku, 1956, p. 193 - 209
  4. Б. Ибрагимов – Круглая башня в селении Мардакяны, ААЭН, Baku, 1946, p. 33
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