Quadrangular castle, Medieval defensive castle in Mardakan, Azerbaijan.
Quadrangular castle is a stone fortress standing 22 meters high with five floors connected by internal staircases and six defensive rooms. The structure includes more than 100 storage wells in its courtyard, and the base walls reach up to 2.10 meters in thickness.
Founded in 1225 by Akhsitan I ibn Minuchihr III, the fortress was built to protect the Shirvanshah dynasty from invasions from the Caspian Sea. This defensive structure was created during a period when control of the coastline defined political power in the region.
The castle displays the building techniques of the Shirvan-Absheron school through layered stone walls and geometric patterns that have survived the centuries. This style shaped the architecture of the entire region and visitors can still see it today in the carefully fitted stones.
The site is located about 37 kilometers from Baku and is reachable by car or organized tours. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes since the staircases are steep and the ground can be uneven, especially on the upper floors.
A 25-meter deep well near the entrance supplied water during long sieges and remains the most remarkable feature of the water supply system. Four semicircular towers strengthen the perimeter wall and give the structure its distinctive defensive outline.
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