Nakhchivan and Momine Khatun Mausoleum

Momine Khatun Mausoleum, An 1186 Brick Tower Built Under The Atabeg Dynasty And The Best Known Monument Of The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The Exclave Also Holds Noah'S Ark Legend Sites, The Salt Cave Of Duzdag And The Old Quarter Of Ordubad. · Nakhchivan, Nakhchivan

Nakhchivan is an exclave of Azerbaijan, cut off from the mainland by Armenia and bordered by Iran and Turkey. Its symbol is the Momine Khatun Mausoleum, a ten-sided brick tower finished in 1186 by the architect Ajami Nakhchivani for the wife of an Atabeg ruler, about 25 m tall and patterned with blue-glazed brick. It stands in the city centre and is easy to see in an hour. Beyond the city lie the Yusif ibn Kuseyir mausoleum, the Duzdag salt mine and its sanatorium, the Ashabi-Kahf cave shrine, the Alinja Castle on a steep ridge and the quiet old town of Ordubad. The exclave is quiet, with few tourists and little English, and many sites close early. It is far and awkward to reach, so it suits the dedicated traveller, not a casual stop. Expect to arrange transport and meals yourself, to carry cash, and to plan every site around short opening hours. Summers are hot and dry, winters are snowy, and the best reward is the quiet.

City of the Nakhchivan exclave between Armenia, Iran and Turkey, reached by direct flight from Baku or Istanbul, with the 12th-century mausoleum in the old centre, Nakhchivan, Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan

The mausoleum exterior and its surrounding park are open all day and free to look at. Interior access, museums and the salt mine keep short hours, often morning to mid-afternoon, and may close on a weekday or for holidays. Sites outside the city can be locked without notice. Confirm locally with your hotel.

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