Introduction to Azerbaijan Museum
The city of Tabriz can be called the city of museums due to the existence of numerous historical buildings and museums. The Azerbaijan Museum is known as one of the oldest and most important museums in Persia and the second archeological museum after the National Museum of Persia. The Azerbaijan Museum includes a unique treasure of the oldest trading unit, among which you can see ancient examples that are more than thousands of years old.
History of Azerbaijan Museum
The constructing of the Azerbaijan Museum dates back to 1306 and 1307 AH. At that time, an exhibition of coins discovered was held in the city library hall. Then after, many efforts were made by a group of lovers of culture to set up a comprehensive museum in Tabriz. Its construction finally began in May 1337 AD and was put into operation with three halls in 1341 AH.
Architecture of the Museum of Azerbaijan
The French architect and archaeologist, Andre Godard, designed the building inspired by the local architecture. The Azerbaijan Museum is a 3-story monument, includes 2400 square meters area. On each floor of this building a theater measuring 37 by 12 meters is included.
Museum works and treasures
The Azerbaijan Museum holds many historical and artistic works dating back to pre-Islamic and Islamic dynasties. In this museum, you can also see valuable treasures, including 12 thousand antiques and works of art, of which about 2300 pieces have been registered. Some of them are being archived, due to the lack of space. Take a tour around the museum floors to get acquainted with some of what can be seen there:
Ground floor of the Azerbaijan Museum
We see pre-Islamic and prehistoric works on this floor among which, the most historical one is the pottery of Ismail Abad hill dating back to seven thousand years ago.One of the most exclusive works in the Azerbaijan Museum is the Serpentine minerals found in Jiroft, Kerman, on we can see engraved images from various plants and animal. These stones date back to prehistoric times. Also, a statue of a woman, dating back to three thousand years ago, has been found in Rostamabad, Gilan, which shows the value of women in ancient times. Three thousand years old rhytons, which belong to the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid eras, are also kept in this museum.
Another historical thing you can see in the Azerbaijan Museum is the showcase of a men and a women’s bodies dating back to the first millennium BC. These bodies were discovered a few years ago in the area of the Blue Mosque, which are the remains of a 3,000-year-old cemetery. On the northern side of this floor, we see a stone with the word Bismillah carved on it, as one of the rarest works of art in Persia. This stone consists of 5 parts, 4 of which are frames. The fifth part in the middle part of this stone, is the word Bismillah, which is beautifully carved by a Persian artist named Mohammad Ali Ghouchani.
The first floor of the museum
In this part of Azerbaijan Museum, besides the relics of the ancient civilizations of Persia, there are objects from the Neyshaboor civilization, from the 4th century AH, which are characterized by the use of white glaze with Islamic motifs and Kufic script. From other works in this section, we can mention the symbolic locks and potteries of the Ilkhanid dynasty. We should mention that, a new hall has been added to this floors which is dedicated to minted coins. Examples of the oldest seals are also kept here.
The Basement of the museum
The basement of the Azerbaijan Museum has long been used to display valuable sculptures. By visiting this part, we get a better view of human history and morality in past centuries, especially the twentieth century.