Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve

Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve is located west of the settlement of Gobustan, about 40 miles southwest of the center of Baku. It was established in 1966 when the area was declared a national historical landmark of Azerbaijan to protect the prehistoric rock carvings, mud volcanoes, and musical stones in the region.

Gobustan State Reserve is rich in archeological monuments. The Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape within the reserve, covering 537 hectares, features over 6,000 rock carvings that depict people, animals, battles, ritual dances, bullfights, boats with armed oarsmen, warriors with lances, camel caravans, and celestial symbols such as the sun and stars, dating back between 5,000 and 20,000 years.