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　 About 12th century, Maiden Tower which was built into the walled defense system of Baku. There have been many fluctuations of the sea level of the Caspian Sea. It's totally possible that the sea lapped at the tower in the past although today it is about one block away.

The heavy structure of the Maiden Tower is anchored to a rock that slopes into the sea. The structure is 16-16.5 meters in diameter and rises eight levels to tower above all the buildings of the old "Inner City" of Baku. Its architectural plan, seemingly so simple, consists of walls which at the base are extraordinarily thick, beginning at five meters in depth and gradually narrowing to four meters at the top. On the southern side of the cylindrical-shaped tower are relatively narrow niches about the height of a man through which the sun enters to illuminate the inner chambers. Rather curiously, there appears to be an external door that opens out to nowhere from the fourth floor. There is even a slot for a wooden spar, which seems to have served as a door-lock. But why on the fourth floor?
Legends Many legends surround the Maiden Tower. Most of them center around the word-"Maiden." A young girl, according to most versions, ordered the tower to be built and then either locked herself in, or threw herself from its heights into the sea below. As the level of the Caspian Sea has experienced cycles of fluctuation-rising and falling-over the centuries, there is a strong possibility that at one time, the waves did lap at the Tower although today the sea is about a block away although it is getting closer and closer again.
According to one of the most popular legends, it was a king, himself the girl's father,who fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. But the girl tried to delay her father's advances by begging him to build the tower and wait until it was completed. When he completed it, he had still not changed his mind. That's when she leaped into the sea. Culturally speaking, specialists believe that the fact that the story depicts a father wanting to marry his daughter probably indicates that the legend predates Islam. Prior to the occupation of Islamic rule in the 7th and 8th century, experts believe that power was transferred via female lineage in the region that now is known as Azerbaijan. To maintain these dynasties, it is believed that sometimes ritualistic marriages were arranged between brothers and sisters, and even fathers and daughters. It is this practice that may be reflected in these legends that surrounds the Maiden Tower.

Baku, sometimes known as Baky or Baki, is the capital and the largest city of Azerbaijan. It is located on the southern shore of the Apsheron Peninsula. Modern Baku consists of three parts: the Old Town, the boomtown and the Soviet-built town. Population (January 1, 2003 census) About 3 million people live in metropolitan area. The layout of the oil-rich city is rectangular, only in the oldest part of the city within the fortress walls the streets are crooked and narrow. The boomtown, south of the old city, was built after massive petroleum exploitation began nearly a century ago and has interesting beaux-arts architecture. Fine arts, history and literature museums are located there, all housed in the mansions of pre-Revolutionary millionaires.
　The name Baku is widely believed to be derived from the old Persian names of the city Badu-kube, meaning "city where the wind blows", or Baghkuh, meaning "Mount of God". Arabic sources refer the city as Baku, Bakukh, Bakuya, and Bakuye, all of which seem to come from the original Persian name.