Gobustan: The next feature in AZERTAC’s ‘If I Were a Tourist’ column highlights the Narimankend Caves in Gobustan. Narimankend Caves are located in the village of Narimankend, Gobustan district, on the left bank of the Zangi River. The area hosts three caves known as ‘Prophet’, ‘Garanlig’ (Darkness), and ‘Gosha’ (Twin), each comprising three to four rooms with walls carved from limestone rocks.

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, a legend suggests that ancient people may have inhabited these caves, using them as defensive fortifications and shelters. The most credible hypothesis is related to dervishes, who are believed to have initially found natural hollows in the rocks and later adapted them for spiritual exercises in solitude.

During the March-April massacres of 1918, local residents used the caves as shelters. Dashnak-Bolshevik forces destroyed a significant portion of the village, burning down 198 out of 433 houses and killing 295 people. The surviving villagers took up arms to defend their homeland, placing their children, women, and elderly in the caves for safety. These caves provided refuge during the Armenian attacks in 1918.

Today, the Narimankend Caves and their surrounding landscapes form a remarkable unity of natural beauty and historical intrigue, drawing the attention of history enthusiasts and researchers alike.