Maiden Tower

Proposals for its original function include a defensive keep, a Zoroastrian fire temple, an astronomical observatory, and a Silk Road watchtower. Each has supporting evidence and none is conclusive.

The dating is contested too. Parts of the structure may be pre-Islamic — possibly considerably older than the Islamic period — with the upper section added later. The masonry changes character partway up, which is visible from outside once you know to look.

Several features resist easy explanation: an unusual buttress projecting from one side, a stone shaft running down through the interior, and a construction so massive it far exceeds what defence would require.

'Maiden Tower' has attracted a large body of romantic legend, most commonly a story of a young woman throwing herself from the top to escape an unwanted marriage. None of it is documented, and all of it appears to be relatively modern.

A more plausible reading of the name is military: in Turkic usage a 'maiden' fortress can mean one never taken — a tower that was never breached.

The interior is laid out as a museum across several floors, with displays on the tower's construction and on old Baku. The stairs are steep and narrow in places.

The reason to climb is the roof. The platform gives an excellent view over the Old City rooftops, out across the bay, and up to the Flame Towers on the ridge behind — one of the best orientation points in the city, and worth doing early in a visit for exactly that reason.