Nizami Museum of Literature

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Nizami Museum of Azerbaijani Literature, located in the heart of Baku, Azerbaijan, offers a captivating journey into the nation’s literary heritage. Situated near the entrance of the ancient Old City (Icheri Sheher) and just a short walk from Fountains Square, the museum is housed in a striking historic building that immediately draws the attention of visitors. With its elegant blue‑majolica façade adorned with statues of renowned Azerbaijani literary figures, it serves as both a visual landmark and a cultural treasure in the city centre.

About the Museum

The museum was officially established in 1939, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the poet Nizami Ganjavi, as decreed by the Azerbaijan Soviet authorities. It opened its doors to the public on May 14, 1945, following World War II. Over the decades, significant renovations took place—in 1959, 1967, and most recently between 2001 and 2003, with a major restoration completed in 2005, expanding the exhibition space substantially.

Today, the museum occupies a total area of approximately 2 500 square meters, with about 1 409 square meters dedicated to exhibitions spanning 30 main and 10 auxiliary halls. It houses more than 120 000 items in its collection, with up to 25 000 exhibits on display at any given time.

Inside, visitors will discover over 3 000 manuscripts and rare printed editions, including poetic works, book illustrations, portraits, sculptures, exquisite miniatures, writers’ memoirs, numismatic artefacts, applied‑art pieces, documentary photographs, carpets, ceramics and other cultural objects.

Among the highlights are:

A 1413 Persian‑language manuscript of Nizami’s epic poem “Iskandar‑nameh”, with illustrations in the Shiraz style—perhaps the oldest surviving illustration of this kind in the former Soviet era.
A 1569 manuscript copy of Fuzuli’s “Bangu Bade”.
“The Eastern Poem on Pushkin’s Death” by Mirza Fatali Akhundov, along with autograph manuscripts and portraits.

The museum façade features sculptures of six key Azerbaijani literary masters—Muhammad Fuzuli, Molla Panah Vagif, Mirza Fatali Akhundov, Khurshidbanu Natavan, Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, and Jafar Jabbarli—created by prominent sculptors. These statues are displayed in an arched gallery above the entrance, giving the building a pantheon‑like grandeur.

Visitors benefit from multilingual electronic kiosks offering information in Azerbaijani, Russian, English, German, and Persian, along with audio‑visual exhibits featuring documentary films, classical Azerbaijani music, poetry readings, and performance fragments. Guided tours are offered in several languages to enrich the visitor experience.

Additional amenities include a bookshop selling literature in English, Russian, and Azerbaijani at the entrance, plus a conference hall and resting zones for visitors. The museum also hosts educational events, poetry readings, exhibitions, and lectures, enhancing its mission as a living centre of literary culture.

Interesting Facts

The museum building originally served as a nineteenth‑century caravanserai, later converted into the Metropol Hotel before becoming a museum.
The museum’s opening in 1945 took place just after the end of World War II—a symbolic moment given the building’s creation in honour of Nizami’s 800th birthday.
The collection includes more than 120 000 artefacts, yet visitors only see about one fifth of the holdings at any time.
Manuscript illustrations for Nizami’s poems—such as “Seven Beauties” and “Khosrow and Shirin”—are preserved in vibrant colour and date back to medieval artistic traditions.
The museum holds a miniature of Nizami’s poem “Iskandar‑nameh”, dated to the early fifteenth century, and considered one of the cultural treasures of the collection.

Photo Gallery

Physical Location

Contact Details

Phone: +99412 492 1864

Website: nizamimuseum.az/

Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069264187612#

Conclusion

For visitors planning a cultural or literary tour of Baku, the Nizami Museum of Azerbaijani Literature is a place not to be missed. The museum beautifully combines architectural elegance, rich historical artefacts, and modern interpretive tools to tell the story of Azerbaijan’s literary tradition from medieval poetry to twentieth‑century authors. It offers a thoughtful and immersive experience, appealing to anyone interested in history, literature, or visual arts.

Whether you explore the delicate manuscripts of Nizami, admire the statues of Azerbaijan’s literary giants, or enjoy a multimedia presentation in a language you understand, you will leave with a deeper appreciation for the creativity, intellect and heritage of Azerbaijani culture. A visit here is both an enlightening and uplifting experience that promises to inspire long after you depart.