Baqche Jooq a Maku Palace
The Bāqche Jooq palace is located in the village of the same name near the city of Māku (western Azerbāijān region) and was formerly the residence of the Māku commander. The construction of the building was carried out between the 1313 and the 1324 of the lunar Hegira (era of Mozaffar Al-Din Shah) and during 30 years the interior decorations of the seven salons were performed.
The palace complex, which is a luxury building and a synthesis of Iranian and European architecture, is located in the center of the large tree-lined garden with a great variety of ancient trees and covers an area of 11 hectares.
Bāqce Jooq or the commander's palace is a two-storey building made with raw adobe, with a wooden ceiling and the walls have paintings and beautiful stucco work and was illuminated with various types of oil, candle and crystal chandeliers.
The first entry of this palace is made by Iranian architects and in the style of the qajaro period and includes several paintings including flower branches, animals, various types of fruit, nature and Iranian and foreign dining tables; the second entrance was designed by Russian architects and combines the Tsarist Russian and Qajara architecture.
This palace has very beautiful wall fireplaces and the edges of some of these are decorated with intertwining flowers and leaves, while the edges of others with polished stones and artistic stuccoes. These summer fireplaces are used as air conditioners and in winter as stoves.
The howzkhāne or hall of mirrors, is the most beautiful part of this palace-museum, a place where various parties and ceremonies took place.
In the Bāqceh Juq palace it is possible to observe one's own image in the unique and very precious mirrors that have not been covered either by mercury or silver, even its smooth surface is made with a particular stone that has been polished with mastery.
On the second floor of this building there are dried flowers inside the wall and inside ancient glass containers like the building itself! The door and double-glazed windows, the design on the windows, the wooden edge of the windows and the Byzantine arches are other examples of the beauty of this building.
Today this place, due to its architectural and artistic features, has been used as a museum.
