A keep on a rock
Above Ramana village.
Ludvig14 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ludvig14 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ludvig14 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ymblanter — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ludvig14 — CC BY-SA 4.0
A fourteenth-century stone fortress on a rocky hill above Ramana village on Absheron, one of the peninsula's most striking castles, with a tall rectangular keep at its centre ringed by a wall with small towers, overlooking a plain dotted with old oil wells and nodding pumps, a scene that joins the Middle Ages to Baku's oil history. Local tradition says it served as a refuge and watchtower against invaders and signalled to the other castles by fire. The hill around it gives wide views, and in spring the grass on the slopes turns green, setting the golden castle on a green carpet. The grounds are usually free to visit, and the castle itself sometimes opens after restoration work, so ask locally. The hill is rocky, so wear comfortable shoes and take care near the edges. It is about half an hour by car from central Baku and is usually combined with Mardakan castle and the Ateshgah fire temple on an Absheron round.
Above Ramana village.
On the plain around it.
Under golden stone.
Ramana village, Absheron peninsula, about 20 km north-east of central Baku
The grounds are usually open; entry to the keep is sometimes possible after restoration work, so ask locally before going.