I visited this WHS in 2023 and it really is worthwhile destination when visiting Azerbaijan.  Located in the north of Azerbaijan, Sheki is so deeply hidden in the mountain valley of the Greater Caucasus that only red tile roofs and pointed tops of minarets can be seen amidst the dense greenery of the gardens when viewing from above (perhaps the best panoramic viewpoint of the old city is from beneath the World War II Memorial).

The biggest changes in Sheki's old neighborhoods since the early Middle Ages occured mainly during the Soviet Union era (you will surely notice the prevalence of old Lada cars!). The current peaceful setting of Sheki came about through millenia of turbulence in the region. Three millenia ago, Sheki (then called Sakesana or Sake, was one of the most famous cities in Caucasian Albania and at the beginning of the first millenium AD, the doctrine of Christ was brought to Sheki, and the first Christian churches were built here and independent Albanian dioceses arose (the small Church of Kish is definitely worth a visit while in Sheki). Sheki is also a city that stood on the Great Silk Road and once huge bazaars rumbled on the squares, and merchants invited buyers into their tents in dozens of languages and dialects, seducing them with the wonderful aromas of seasonings (the excellent and tasty purple "sumak" springs to mind), a rainbow of luxorious fabrics, the glitter of jewels and the sharpness of foreign swords. A few family-run silk scarf or "kelaghayi" workshops are still open and if you're lucky enough you can see the traditional wax-resist method which involves stamping paraffin oil onto the fabric with a wooden block then dip-dyeing it. The wax is then rinsed away, leaving buta (paisley-like) ornaments and other patterns behind on the scarves.

In the 7th century, Sheki was occupied by the troops of the Arab Caliphate. The power of the Arabs was short-lived, largely due to the fact that the people of Sheki took part in the struggle against them under the leadership of the legendary Babek. In the 15th century, Sheki fell under the rule of Tamerlane. Battles were common as can be deduced by the huge upper fortified walls of the Sheki Castle or Fortress (or if you feel like hiking, the Khan's Pasture trail from behind the Sheki fortress leads to the Galarsan-Gorarsan Fortress). The best part of Sheki is getting lost in the steep old streets with cobblestones, especially between the city's two caravanserai (you can either book your own room in one of them or else visit for free during daytime).

Built in the 18th century during the Sheki Khanate period when Sheki was the capital, the best highlight of the city is the Khan's Palace, both for its exterior and its interior decorations. The huge stained glass windows or "shebeke", each square metre of which consists of 5,000 lattice-like pieces, adorn the facade of the palace and at the same time the light that passes through them produces lots of colours inside which reflect all around the rooms on the several pieces of glass of the Qajari-style mirrored niches. The layout of the palace's two floors does not differ, with three rooms in a row that separate the hallways, and both main rooms on the lower and upper floors are truly splendid even though with no furniture. The personal chambers of the khan were located on the second floor and according to custom, only members of his family, servants and close friends had access to it. The women's part of the second floor is painted mainly with flowers and oriental ornaments (the pomegranate wall paintings reminded me of the beautiful hill fort interiors of Rajasthan, India), while the central hall of the men's half, where the khan spent time with guests, is dominated by frescoes of Azerbaijani miniature. Here you can find scenes of hunting for animals and birds, elephants and even dragons, as well as pictures of battles demonstrating the military might of the Sheki khanate.

The only negative points of my visit here were the strict no photography inside policy, with CCTV cameras on wooden stands inside and the truly ugly steel barrier before entering the palace building (which could easily be removed if entrance to the small palace gardens would be only granted to ticket holders). On the other hand, thanks to this policy, I revisited a number of other times especially just before closing time (as the afternoon light is best on the facade). Although the facade is pleasant with beautiful decorative plasterwork showing peacocks and Islamic-inspired motifs in salmon, black and blue, definitely do not skip visiting the interior which is the true highlight. Of the 10 years it took to complete the palace, eight of those years were spent on the interior alone! The same strict no photography policy is adopted inside the Shakikhanov's house or palace, which nonetheless is also worth visiting mostly for its main room interior paintings and colourful shebeke. Wall painting subjects here include heroes from Persian poetry, among birds, animals and floral designs.

The Sheki Khanate existed until the early 19th century, when it became part of the Russian Empire. This was the heyday of arts and crafts, science and literature. In 1829, the first factory in Azerbaijan was built in Sheki. Silk weaving, agriculture and fishing were booming. The red brick facades of several buildings reminded me of similar architecture in Central Asia (especially the buildings in the Sari Toprak neighbourhood), while Sheki's ambience with a river passing right through the city reminded me mostly of Safranbolu, Turkey, and Berat or Gjirokaster in Albania. Other noteworthy monuments in Sheki (where there are a number of metal UNESCO WHS inscription plaques) are: the round Three Saints Church, built by the Caucasian Albanians but used as a Russian Orthodox Church during the imperial period, the old silk factory, established in 1928 and now abandoned with its delapidated twin lion statues at the entrance, the Gileyli minaret (now with a wooden covered staircase), the newly reopened Khan's mosque and museum, and the Yeralti "underground" hammam.

Last but certainly not least, the food in Sheki is really delicious. There are countless dishes and treats: you can't miss Sheki's Piti (a chunky, aromatic stew made from lamb, chickpeas, chestnuts and various vegetables), Sudlu Ash (plov flavoured with apricots and served with a thin egg omelette and lula kebab on the side), Lapali chorak (a sour bread made in Kish using walnuts, white onion and cherry syrup) and of course some Halva (made by layering nuts with thin pastry) for dessert. All in all, Sheki was certainly a highlight of our trip in Azerbaijan together with Nakhchivan and overall, a worthy addition to the WH list.