Guns, snakes, samovar, tea glasses, fruits, cows, deer – what do these have in common? Sofi Hamid Shrine and Cemetery is a place riddling every visitor with its unusual symbols and rich saturated pastel colors. What is so unusual about this place is its obscure existence until Baku Explorer’s founder has discovered this place out of the blue. If you ask locals, very few will know about its existence. However, Sofi Hamid tells about the history of Azerbaijan, its culture and shared beliefs of locals much more than any other historical monument of the country. This trip and guided tour won’t leave you without impressions and haunting memories.

We truly believe that Sofi Hamid, located around Gobustan National Park, will become one of the must-see spots in Azerbaijan and will be in the lists of the most unusual cemeteries in the world very soon, competing with Merry Cemetery in Romania or Cimetière du Père Lachaise in Paris. Even more, the poetry composed by locals dedicated to their deceased relatives are another mirror of Azerbaijani society and how they look in the face of death with a stoic mindset. One of the poems on a colorful grave with images of sewing machine and ablution jar reads:

“I’m on the transitory path
Out of a sudden, I was afflicted

Keep my grave, let it be a souvenir
tombs won’t return the dead”

Top reasons to visit:

• unique spot to discover colorful artwork of locals based on their beliefs and ideologies
  
• historically significant place to explore how regimes and lives of people have changed throughout centuries and decades
• meditative and serene trip around wind-swept plains away from hustle and bustle of the city
  
• a must-see for people interested in mysticism, semiotics, Sufism, art in Soviet times and of course history of Azerbaijan

Departure Point

Tour departs from your accommodation/preferred central city point. Please specify your address during checkout.