A great nation is a nation that can respect its historical and cultural heritage. One of the countries in the world which is rich in historical heritage is Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is located on the west coast of the Caspian Sea and the eastern part of the South Caucasus, right at the junction of the geopolitical, economic and cultural regions of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. This has resulted in the unique historical and cultural heritage of Azerbaijan which is a blend of Eastern and Western cultures, influences from Persia, Turkey and the Soviets as a bridge between two continents, along with that which was once the Silk Road. Currently, the territory is crossed by several regional and international corridors, considered strategic for both Europe and Asia. 

Rich of historical, cultural, and natural heritage, Azerbaijan attracts tourists from all over the world. Azerbaijan is characterized by wilderness, a rich flora and fauna, numerous sources of minerals, ancient architecture, a kind of national culture and national cuisine, geological monuments like mud volcanoes, deep gorges and waterfalls. Azerbaijan has great potential for tourism development with its rich historical and cultural heritage as well as the natural resources (Musayefa and Silinevica, 2018). The role of state in the development of culture is enormous. It carries out different activities for the progress of science, enlightenment and arts. Besides state’s theoretic, organizational and physical activity in the cultural field is directed towards creation of equal opportunities for harmonious development of every member of society and providing people with chance to utilize cultural achievements. Therefore, it is not surprising that Azerbaijan has received recognition from UNESCO for its many historical legacies which have so far been preserved and well managed by the government and society. 

There is something very unique about Azerbaijan, which has its capital in Baku, the largest city, not only in Azerbaijan but also the largest in the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is not only known as the center of government but also as the historical, cultural and business center of this West Asian country. What makes Baku so unique is that, in this city, an Old City or Inner City is found, known as Icherisheher, the jewel of the Azerbaijan people and a source of pride for every Azeri citizen. It is a great historical ensemble right in the center of Baku, having its own infrastructure and residential communities. Icherisheher, which operates as a museum under open sky, was built on the shape of amphitheater in a 22 hectare area. Traditional nuances can also be found at Icherisheher which is surrounded by fortress walls with a height of 8-10 meters and a width of 3.5 meters built in the Middle Ages. The Old City seems to be separated from the modern part of Baku City. Visitors in the Old City have to go through a small narrow road before finding an ancient palace in it. 

 The splendor of Icherisheher (Walled City of Baku) is that it reflects the mixture of its unique architectural monuments and the spatial urban planning with original street views also known as Futuristic City which is an Eclectic blend of Modernism and Traditionalism where historical buildings are located side by side in harmony with unique and amazing modern architectural buildings, ranging from magnificent imperial Russian-style buildings, to oriental curved buildings and mosaic-filled city exteriors, such as the Tower of Flame which reflects the long history of the ancient Zoroastrian belief in worship of fire and the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center. The city of Baku is also known as the City of the Wind and is often referred to as "Paris of the Caucacus." Meanwhile, traditional nuances can also be found at Icherisheher surrounded by walls built in the Middle Ages. The Old City seems to be separated from the modern part of Baku City. Visitors in the Old City have to go through a small narrow road before finding an ancient palace in it. 

The Maiden Tower is the most ancient monument of Icherisheher – symbol of the city of Baku. There are evidences that the construction of the Maiden Tower might have been as early as the 7th-6th centuries BC. Another monument of universal value, one of the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture is the 12th to 15th-century Shirvanshahs' Palace, located at the highest point of Icherisheher. Earlier monuments of Icherisheher include the Mohammed Mosque, together with the adjacent minaret built in 1078, and remains of the 9th- to 10th-century mosque near the Maiden Tower. Considering that this medieval city represents an outstanding and rare example of an historic urban ensemble and architecture, it was inscribed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List in 2000, and is being preserved by UNESCO as a historical-architectural reserve (Varani, 2018). 

Azerbaijani culture as well as the society has always been marked with inclusiveness and openness. Not surprisingly, the culture and the arts are very majestic and artistic increasingly recognized by the world. Another great work that is very well known throughout the world is the masterpiece "Leyli and Majnun" written by poet Nizami Ganjavi in 1188. This literary work was even born long before William Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Julliet. At Icherisheher we can also enjoy traditional music performances that have been well preserved and handed down from generation to generation, namely Yalli and its traditional music, Mugham, which also received recognition from UNESCO as the Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in the year. 2003. Mugham music is played with 3 instruments, namely: daf (big tambourine), kamancha (a kind of guitar with four strings), and tar (long-necked lute with 11 strings) (Atiyanto, 2014). Mugham traditional music is very well preserved to this day. The government has even built a special museum to preserve it, namely the International Mugham Center in the city of Baku, whose construction was initiated by the First Lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva. 

Wonderful nature, climate, natural resources of the country produced a significant impact on artistic thinking and creation skills of Azerbaijani people as well. Therefore, the richness of Azerbaijan's culture is not only limited to historic buildings but 3 also the work that is a master piece of the community handed down from generation to generation, namely the unique carpet of Azerbaijan which was also recognized by UNESCO was included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010 Azerbaijan rugs can be distinguished into 7 groups based on design, pattern and color, namely Guba, Baku, Shirvan, Cannabis, Gazakh, Garabagh, and Tabriz (Atiyanto, 2014). The government is also trying to preserve this unique carpet by storing it in the Carpet Museum in Baku City. 

The success of Azerbaijan in promoting tourism is inseparable from the role of the government and also the support of the society to maintain and preserve the cultural heritage which is the pride of the nation, such as the Icherisheher – a pearl of Baku - whose luxury is unbeatable in the world. 

References 

Varani, Nicoletta. (2019). “Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas: 25 years of ItalianAzerbaijan relationships” ;Geopolitical, Social Security and Freedom. Journal, Volume 1 Issue 2, 2018 * Part of this paper was presented at the International Panel Discussion held in Genoa on May 12th 2017. Gunel Kerimova. (2017). Globalization And Cultural Identity: Azerbaijan’s Case . Journal of Azerbaijani Studies 73-88.

 Naila Musayeva, Irena Silinevica. (2015). Tourism Development Impact On The Economy Of Azerbaijan. Journal of Social Sciences No 1(8). 

Atiyanto, Prayono, (2014). Sekilas Mengenal Kebudayaan Azerbaijan. http://irs-az.com/new/pdf/201408/1408175783014415472.pdf 

Nuruzade, Shahla. (2016). Maintaining intangible cultural heritage in Azerbaijan in the context of globalization. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337929815 

Mostafa Khalili, Mostafa. (2015-2016). A comparative study of ethnic identity among Azerbaijani speakers in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Ritsumeikan Journal of Asia Pacific Studies Volume 34, 2015-2016. 

Website: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/958/