www.mystgov.az A wide net of cultural educational establishments are active in Azerbaijan: 150 museums and art galleries, about 4650 public libraries including the M.F.Akhundov State Public Library, Republican children and youth library, hundreds Palaces of Culture and Clubs, 25 state theatres, Philharmonic Society, Musical Academy, Children's Philharmonic Society, Arts Gymnasium.

The original national culture of Azerbaijan goes back into centuries and has absorbed the best traditions of East and West. Azerbaijan literature is represented by such luminaries as Nizami Ganjavi, the peak of whose creative activity "Khamsa" is included in the treasure-house of world literature, Afzalladin Khagani, Mehseti Ganjavi, Mohammed Fizuli, Molla Panah Vagif, Khur-shud-banu Natavan - their lyrics have acquired world acknowledgment, the dramatist and thinker Mirza Fatali Akhundov, and the satirists Sabir, Jalil Mammadkuluzade.

Azerbaijan gave the world a great theorist of music, Safiatdin Urmovi, who created a new note system. His world famous "Treatise on Music" written in the 13th century has become a handbook of musicologists of many generations. Azerbaijan has always taken pride in its masters of fine and applied arts. The works of Bakhrus Kenderli, the master of the miniature, the colorful canvases of Sattar Baklulzade, and the paintings of Tahir Salakhov decorate museums and art galleries of the world. The Azerbaijan art of carpetry, being universally recognized, has the deep roots.

Azerbaijan is the motherland of a galaxy of architects who created masterpieces of architecture in many countries of Moslem East. In the Republic itself there are monuments of the "Nakhchivan" and "Shirvan" architect school which have been preserved even to the present days - Momina Khatun mausoleum, Maiden Tower, Shirvanshah's Palace.

 The flight of modern musical culture in Azerbaijan was impetuous and at its root was a great composer Uzeyir Hajibayov, who created the first opera in the East - "Leyli and Madjnun". His followers strengthened and multiplied the success of the Azerbaijan School of composing, and raised the music of the people to the highest achievements of world music art.

 The music of Gara Garayev, Fikret Amirov, Niyazi, Arif Melikov have fascinated and has admired the world. Mugam is an unique phenomenon, not only in national but also in the world music culture. It is usually performed by a trio (kamancha, tar, daf). Among the records of best music sent to outer civilization on the "Voyager" spaceship in 1977, 2 minutes and 20 seconds, out of 90 total minutes of music, was mugam.

The Golden fund of world mastery art owns the names of Jabbar Garyagdi, Bul-Bul, Rashid Beybudov, Vagif Mustafazade and others.

For further information about Azerbaijan and suggested itineraries please visit: azerbaijan.tourism.az