"Gakh Castle"
Gakh Castle was built by Ilisu sultan Adi-Gorklü Bey in the 16th century for defense purposes, and restored in the 18th century during the visit of Nadir Shah Afshar’s brother Ibrahim Khan to Jar-Balakan.
Inside the castle, built with river stones and lime mortar, there were residential buildings, various workshops, shops and a market. That is why the local population still calls the interior area surrounded by the fort “Icheribazar”. In the 1880s, the blacksmith’s workshop of master Muhammad, the father of prominent composer and public figure Muslim Magomayev, was located here.
During the construction and reconstruction works, the roof coverings of private houses on “Icheribazar” street were renewed, the gate, window, ceiling, column, jugs on the balconies and other parts were reworked from wooden material. The entrance and exit gates of the castle are of great importance in terms of promoting the architectural traditions of our country.
An open-air theater with 300 seats was created on the territory of the complex, 10 workshops for artists, including applied art, woodcarving, weaving, oriental sweets, and an oven were built on the territory of the complex. National souvenirs, painting and graphic works, woodcarving, stone carvings, textiles, souvenir carpets made by local artists are displayed in the sales center of applied art samples operating here.
