Sheki was elected a member of the European Route of Ceramics at the initiative of the State Tourism Agency.

This centre is the first of its kind in the South Caucasus where the International ceramics Symposium also took place and these features played a big role in the selection of the centre for the route. It should be noted that the inauguration of the ABAD Ceramics and Applied Arts Centre took place on October 29, 2018, within the framework of Sheki visit to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr Ilham Aliyev and the First Lady Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva. The building of the centre was constructed at the end of the XIX century and used to be a barrack. The old and damaged building restored by PASHA Holding.

The centre is furnished with cutting-edge equipment. The purpose of the centre is to preserve the historical ceramic traditions of the country, especially the Sheki region, and pass them on to future generations, as well as to introduce a variety of Azerbaijani clay to the world. It should be noted that there are 128 types of clay, 98 of which are found in Azerbaijan. The soil of Sheki is also rich in clay, and archaeological excavations have uncovered many samples of ceramics and ancient bark stoves.

The European Route of Ceramics is a Cultural route certified by the Council of Europe since 2012 and it aims at giving value to the cultural heritage linked to the production of ceramics and its old tradition, creating a sustainable and competitive tourism offer not only based on the artistic productions and collections (workshops and museums), but also on the whole cultural and social development that these destinations have lived over the years. The headquarters of the European Route of Ceramics’ association is currently located in the City of Faenza in Italy.