Mount Besh Barmag is one of the most famous and mystical peaks in Azerbaijan.
It is located in the Siyazan region, about 80 km north of Baku, near the highway leading to the border between Azerbaijan and Dagestan (Russian Federation).
Approximately 382 meters high, Besh means “five” in the Azeri language and Barmag means “finger.” The name comes from its unusual rock shape, resembling a hand reaching toward the sky.
It is a sacred place of pilgrimage, surrounded by two main legends:
- It is said that the prophet Khidr wandered these places in search of the elixir of life. After drinking from a spring on the summit, he achieved immortality.
- The name comes from the myth according to which the mountain is the hand of a colossus sleeping underground, emerging from the ground with an open palm to protect and guard the land.
Climbing the steep steps, you reach the rocky ridge with a panoramic view of the Azerbaijani steppe and the waters of the Caspian Sea.
Thanks to its strategic location between the sea and the Caucasus Mountains, it serves as a natural corridor and is one of the best spots in Europe and Asia for observing migratory birds.
