Chirag Gala
Çıraqqala
An ancient Sasanian-era fortress ruin on a mountaintop, once a lookout on the Gilgilchay Wall, with views over the Caspian plain from the summit.
Chirag Gala sits on a ridge at about 1,200 m altitude near Siyazan–Shabran. It was built in the 5th–6th centuries CE under the Sasanian Empire and forms part of the Gilgilchay Wall, a defensive line linking the Caucasus mountains with the Caspian Sea. Its name means “Lighthouse Fortress,” and it is said that signal fires were once lit here to pass along warnings. Today, thick stone walls and towers remain, and some parts were partially restored in recent years. From the parking area below, a footpath takes about 40–60 minutes to reach the top, where you can look down over the Caspian coastal plain and forests. Getting there: turn off the M1 highway between Baku and Quba onto a mountain road; you need a car or a hired vehicle. It is about 50 km from Quba. There is no entrance fee and no facilities, so bring plenty of water.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Altyaghach National Park
- Beshbarmag Mountain
- Candy Cane Mountains
- Afurja Waterfall
- Tengi Canyon
- Juma Mosque, Quba
- Mountain Jews Museum
- Red Settlement (Qırmızı Qəsəbə)