The infobox dates the Maiden Tower to the 12th century. The historian Sara Ashurbeyli calculated that the foundations were built between the 4th and 6th centuries, and Bretanitskiy proposed partial construction in the 5th and 6th centuries, with later work in the 12th.
The cylindrical eight-story tower is 97 feet (29.5 m) high with a base diameter of 54 feet (16.5 m). Its walls are 16 feet (5 m) thick at the base, tapering to 10 to 14 feet (3.2 to 4.2 m) at the top. A long solid buttress projects from the east side. The masonry is stone with local grey limestone inlay and gypsum plaster, giving a black-and-white banded effect.
Its purpose is debated: a fire temple tower, an observatory, an oil refining column and a rainwater structure for the well have all been proposed. UNESCO's listing is dated 2000 in the infobox and 2001 in the text. It houses a museum and a roof viewing area.
Comments