Perfectly proportioned, if gently leaning, Naxçivan’s architectural icon is a 26m brick tower dating from 1186. It’s decorated with geometric patterns and Kufic script (a stylised, angular form of Arabic) picked out in turquoise glaze. The mausoleum originally entombed Shemseddin Eldeniz, the founder of the Atabey dynasty, along with his beloved wife, for whom the monument is named. Today the tower’s hollow interior features a small exhibition of relevant photos and drawings.
Outside, a paved open-air ‘museum’ displays historic stone rams and grave markers. From the nearby promenade, Ağrıdağ (Mt Ararat) is distantly visible on exceptionally clear days.
