Maku, Iran

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Panoramic view on the town of Maku.

Kakh Muzeh Maku, near Maku, built by one of the commanders of Mozzafar-al-Din Shah, is a popular attraction.

For other uses, see Maku.

Maku also spelled Makou and Maki (in Turkish) is a town in the northwestern part of the West Azerbaijan province of Iran. It is situated 22 km from the Turkish border in a mountain gorge at an altitude of 1634 metres. The Zangmar River cuts through the city^[1]^[2].

1 Etymology
2 History
3 Population
4 Attractions
5 Notes
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Etymology

According to some accounts the word Maku possibly derives from the armenian language Maki.

[edit] History

Maku was the capital of a Kangarli Khanate^[3] one of numerous small, semi-independent Khanates that resulted from the breakup of the Safavid empire in the 17th century.^[4]

The city is well-known in Bahá'í history for its fort where the Báb had been exiled to and imprisoned for nine months. In this fortress Mullá Husayn-i-Bushru'i, the first Disciple of the Báb had the chance to meet his Master again, arriving on Náw-Rúz of the year 1848.

In ancient times the region of Maku was a part of Lesser Media and its name itself may be derived from the Persian word Madkuh meaning "the Mountain of the Medes". Medes were one of the ancient Iranian tribes.

[edit] Population

The city's population is comprised mostly of Azeris and Kurds.Encyclopedia Iranica notes Maku as the home of Qara Qoyunlu Azeris^[5] The Office of West Azerbaijan's Governor also verifies this.[1] Maku had an Armenian majority before World War I^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Attractions

Baqcheh Jooq Palace: dates back to the end of the Qajar period. It used to be the house of the local governor until 1974. Presently it functions as a museum with some carpets and local handicrafts.
Ruins of a fort also used as a border post.
Hiking : it is advisable to have a guide or stay within eye-sight of the town. Due to its proximity to the Turkish border, it is easy to cross the border unintentionally.
Rock climbing: There are numerous rock climbing sites at the northern part of the city, some exceeding 200 meters.
Panj Cheshmeh - This bridge is located 5 km. from Maku on the Zangmar River, and is a monument from the Safavid era. This bridge was constructed in order to facilitate communications between Tabriz and Maku, and the surrounding rural areas^[1].