Nizami Museum of Azerbaijani Literature, Literature museum in central Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Nizami Museum is a literature museum in central Baku distinguished by its blue majolica façade and outdoor sculptures of major Azerbaijani writers. Inside, it holds more than 120,000 items including historical manuscripts, antique books, calligraphy pieces, and personal belongings of literary figures from the region.
The building started as a caravanserai in 1850 and operated as a hotel from 1915 before becoming a literature museum in 1939 to commemorate Nizami Ganjavi's 800th anniversary. This transformation marked a shift toward preserving and celebrating the region's rich literary heritage.
The building honors Nizami Ganjavi, a medieval poet whose works shaped literary tradition across the region, and displays sculptures of other major Azerbaijani writers on its exterior. These monuments reflect how writers and their ideas remain central to local identity and pride.
The museum sits near Fountains Square and the entrance to Icheri Sheher, making it easy to reach while exploring the old city. Visitors should allow adequate time to view the extensive collection, and it's helpful to know the location's central position means visiting is straightforward to combine with nearby attractions.
The collection includes a notable assemblage of historical clocks and watches displayed alongside the literary materials, offering an unexpected window into daily life and timekeeping practices of the region's past. These items reveal how ordinary objects complement our understanding of the people who lived here.
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