On March 31, 2024, second-year students of the School of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences of Khazar University majoring in History Education embarked on an educational excursion to explore several historical monuments in Azerbaijan. These sites included the "Ateshgah Temple," " Quadrangular Mardakan Castle," "Round Mardakan Castle," and "Ramana Castle," all pertaining to the theme of "Defense buildings of Azerbaijan" within the context of the "History of Wars" subject. The excursion was organized jointly by the Department of Collection of Archaeological Monuments at the ANAS Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Department of History and Archaeology at Khazar University. A special academic excursion organized at the initiative of the employees of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS)  Assoc. Prof. Mikayil Mustafayev, Narmina Huseynova, Orkhan Zamanov and students was important in terms of visual perception of the important role of the fortresses around Baku, which are an important component of Azerbaijan's defense architecture, in the military history of our people.

According to the scheduled program, the first stop on the visit was the "Ateshgah Temple" State Historical-Architectural Reserve. Here, the guide led the students through the monument area, showcasing its historical buildings and exhibits while providing detailed explanations. Following this, the main part of the excursion unfolded with visits to the Mardakan and Ramana fortresses. At the Quadrangular Castle, Vidadi Yaptumov, an elder from Mardakan, informed the students about the area's history and the structures present, including the " Quadrangular Mardakan Castle" and "Round Mardakan Castle." Then the students climbed the castle capturing memorable moments with photographs. The second Round Castle area in Mardakan was also visited and interesting memory photos were taken here. In the end, the students visited the ancient village of Ramana and visited the "Ramana Castle". Here, the guide provided extensive historical information about the area and the fortress, offering glimpses into both its surroundings and interior.

During the educational excursion, subject teacher O. Zamanov, along with medieval specialists M. Mustafayev and N. Huseynova, provided detailed explanations to the students about the castles, their historical significance, and their roles in our country's history. They engaged in extensive discussions with the students about other Azerbaijani castles as well. The students showed keen interest in visually exploring the monuments. The excursion, enriched with discussions and inquiries, concluded as planned.