The Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace in the Republic of Azerbaijan represents a stunning ensemble of 18th–19th century architecture.
Located in the mountainous northwest of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Sheki was a key Silk Road caravan city known for its strategic position, prosperous trade, and distinctive architectural traditions blending local, Persian, and Islamic influences. The site preserves public buildings, merchant houses, baths, bridges, and the iconic Khan’s Palace, offering insight into urban planning and craftsmanship of the Sheki Khanate era.
At the heart stands the Khan’s Palace (also called the Winter Palace), a jewel of Sheki architecture built without a single nail in 1761–1762. Famous for its interiors adorned with over 15,000 sqm of intricate stained glass (shebeke) in vivid colors – turquoise, red, green, and gold – alongside frescoes depicting hunting scenes, flowers, and geometric patterns, the palace showcases unparalleled mastery of light, color, and composition. The surrounding historic center features traditional houses with wooden balconies, the Sheki Caravanserai (now a hotel), mosques, and the Upper Caravanserai, all reflecting the city’s role as a vibrant commercial and cultural crossroads.
Sheki’s outstanding universal value lies in its well-preserved urban fabric and the unique shebeke technique – a form of multicolored stained glass unique to the Caucasus region – alongside its testimony to Silk Road exchange and local artistic genius. Conservation efforts by the Republic of Azerbaijan have restored the palace and center, establishing it as a living cultural heritage site with museums, festivals, and tourism that promote sustainable development and intercultural understanding among ECO member states.