Lankaran Fortress & Zindan Tower
Lənkəran qalası / Zindan
The only surviving round towers of the 18th-century Lankaran Khanate fortress, one later used as a prison, where legend says a young Stalin was once held.
Lankaran Fortress was built by the Lankaran Khanate in the 18th century. After Russian forces stormed the town in 1812, most of its walls were torn down, leaving only two round towers near the city centre. The northern tower, known as the 'Zindan' (meaning dungeon), was turned into a prison under Tsarist rule, and legend says Stalin was briefly held here in 1908. The sturdy, plain towers stand amid the old town and market lanes. You can visit them on foot together with the Khan's Palace and the Lighthouse, and half an hour is enough to see them.
Opening hours
Exterior viewable all day
Nearby sights
- Lankaran Khan's Palace (History & Local Lore Museum)
- Lankaran Lighthouse
- Boyuk Bazar Mosque
- Kichik Bazar Mosque
- Lankaran Caspian Beach
- Khanbulan Lake
- Hirkan National Park
- Gizilagach National Park