Wat San Chao Floating Market is a small floating market north of Bangkok next to the Chaophraya River in Pathum Thani. It’s not a floating market with lots of small boats that you envision but more of a riverside market.
Floating markets in Thailand are very traditional. In the past the dense jungle made travel by land very difficult so people would use the many rivers and canals to transport their goods. Along the waterways markets would develop for people to exchange their goods. The markets would be built on the land and serve as a meeting point. So most of the floating markets are more of riverside markets instead. Wat San Chao is this type of floating market.
What it lacks in boats it makes up for in food. It features the normal Thai food as well as regional favorites. In addition to the shopping there is a Mon style temple and 2 small Chinese temples in the market area for the local Thais to make merit while here.
It’s located about an hour north of Bangkok and not on the ...
Old Town Baku, known as Icherisheher (meaning “Inner City”), is the ancient heart of Baku, Azerbaijan, enclosed by 12th-century fortress walls that still stand 8–10 meters high and 3.5 meters thick. Spanning just 22 hectares, this UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2000) reveals layers of human history dating back to the Paleolithic era, with evidence of Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian influences.
Settled as early as the 7th–12th centuries, it evolved from a Bronze Age outpost into a medieval trading hub along the Silk Road, fortified against invasions and serving as the capital of the Shirvanshah dynasty from the late 1300s to around 1500.
By the 19th century, under Russian rule, it transitioned into a vibrant residential quarter—home to about 3,000 people today—blending narrow cobblestone streets, caravanserais, mosques, and bathhouses into a living mosaic of Azerbaijani heritage.
The Palace of the Shirvanshahs
Perched at Icherisheher’s highest ...
The Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve, located about 60–70 km southwest of Baku, Azerbaijan, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2007) renowned for its collection of over 6,000 rock petroglyphs spread across more than 1,000 rock surfaces.
These ancient carvings, found primarily on the Boyukdash, Kichikdash, and Jingirdagh mountains, date from the Upper Paleolithic era (ca. 40,000 years ago) to the Middle Ages, offering a remarkable record of prehistoric and early historic life in the Caucasus.
The petroglyphs were first noted in the 1930s during quarrying activities and systematically studied from 1939 by archaeologist Ishag Jafarzadeh, who cataloged over 3,500 carvings. Further research expanded the count and scope.
The carvings span six periods, from the Mesolithic to the Middle Ages, reflecting evolving human activities and environmental changes in the region.
The site includes caves, settlements, burial sites, and over 100,000 artifacts (tools, jewelry, bones), providing ...
The Shirvanshahs’ Palace is a 15th–16th-century architectural gem in Icherisheher, Baku’s Old City, Azerbaijan, and a key part of its UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2000).
Built primarily under Shirvanshah Ibrahim I (1382–1417), it served as the royal residence, administrative center, and burial site for the Shirvanshah dynasty, which ruled the Shirvan region from the 9th to 16th centuries.
The complex reflects Islamic, Persian, and Shirvani architectural styles, showcasing the dynasty’s wealth and cultural role along the Silk Road.
The palace is a fortified complex with intricate stonework, geometric patterns, and domed roofs. Key components include:
1. Main Palace Building:
• Two-story structure with ornate halls and residential chambers.
• Features detailed stone carvings and arched doorways.
• Houses a museum with artifacts like ceramics, coins, and weapons from the Shirvanshah era.
2. Divan Khana (Court Assembly Hall):
• Open pavilion with delicate columns, used for royal audiences ...
