Minaret of the Palace Shah's Mosque near Divan-khane (military warehouses), 1897

Azerbaijan

The Shirvanshahs' Palace. Minaret near the so-called Khan's Court. This name, Khan's Court, is a misnomer for the area around the Divan-khana and the royal mausoleum. It originated from a legend claiming the mausoleum was a courtroom and its crypt a prison. The Palace Mosque (Saray məscidi), a 15th-century stone structure, features a minaret (the grey and white stripe in the photo) inscribed with the date 845 AH (1441-42 AD). Mid-19th century military use as storage, while drastically alterin.. Read more »g the complex (now a UNESCO World Heritage site), ironically saved it from demolition. Later that century, the Synod office petitioned to demolish the palace for a cathedral, but Tsarist authorities refused solely because it served as a large military warehouse, part of which is visible on the left.