Exploring Baku: A Cultural And Historical Journey

Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan, a country at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region, with a population of around two million people.

Baku is a modern city with a rich history, having been inhabited for thousands of years and playing an important role in the Silk Road. It is also known as the City of Winds due to its harsh winds and fierce winter snow storms.

Baku has many popular tourist attractions, including the Old City, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the Flame Towers, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, and the Heydar Aliyev Center. Baku is also a major cultural and educational centre, with several universities and museums.

The city has a diverse architecture, ranging from the Old City to modern buildings such as the Flame Towers and the Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Zaha Hadid.

Baku is also known for its nightlife, with many clubs, restaurants, and bars. The city has a variety of cuisines to offer, from traditional Azerbaijani food to international options.

Overall, Baku is a fascinating city that combines tradition and modernity, making it a unique destination worth visiting.

Explore Baku's Old City

Baku's Old City is a must-see for anyone visiting Azerbaijan. It is a city within a city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the historic core of Baku. The Old City is a walled city, with the oldest building dating back to the 11th century, though some historians believe it may be from the 7th century. The city was designed to be a self-sufficient community, and later in its history, the area was divided into 10 quarters, each for a different profession.

• Explore the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, a sandstone palace complex that was the seat of northeastern Azerbaijan's ruling dynasty during the Middle Ages.
• Climb the Maiden Tower, Baku's most recognisable landmark. The tower is shrouded in mystery, with its original purpose and date of construction still unknown.
• Visit the Muhammad Mosque, built in the 11th century. The minaret was damaged by a Russian shell during the Russo-Persian War and was never repaired, serving as a symbol of the city's courage and defiance.
• Marvel at the arcades on Bazaar Square, one of the most impressive archaeological sites within the Old City.
• Trace the Old City walls, with their time-worn sandstone and low turrets topped with scalloped stone fringing.
• Enter through the Gosha Gala Gapisi, the Double Gate or Gates of Shah Abbas, which once served as the only entrance to the Old City.
• Have a meal inside one of Baku's old caravanserais (stone inns with stables, storage rooms and sleeping quarters). Some recommendations include Han Restaurant Baku, Karvansaray, Sehrli Təndir and Mugam Club.
• Track down the Dervish Takyeh, a building from the 13th century that was used as a mosque and a school.
• Get lost in the back alleys and explore the residential part of Old Baku. Wander up and down the pitched streets, taking in the sand-coloured buildings, narrow alleys, and Islamic patterns and cursive script on windowsills and doorways.
• Learn about Baku's ghir pourers by checking out a set of statues perched on a rooftop, along with an accompanying placard that tells their story.
• Find the perfect photo spot where the Flame Towers are framed by the stone entrance to a mosque and a Belle Epoque apartment block in the middle distance.
• Shop for carpets and other souvenirs at the many shops in Baku's Old City.
• Try Azerbaijani pakhlava, the country's national sweet, similar to Turkish baklava.
• Visit the Museum of Miniature Books, the only institution of its kind in the world, housing several thousand tiny tomes.
• Check out the Vagif Mustafazadeh House Museum, dedicated to the jazz pianist and composer born in Baku in 1940.

There are also several walking tours of Baku's Old City, which is a great way to learn about the history of the area and ensure you don't miss any key sights.

Visit the Flame Towers

The Flame Towers are a trio of flame-shaped skyscrapers that have become an iconic landmark in Baku. Located on a hill overlooking the Caspian Sea and Baku's old city centre, the towers stand as a symbol of Azerbaijan's rich history, natural resources, and technological advancements. Here are some tips and insights to enhance your visit to the Flame Towers:

• Design and Architecture: The Flame Towers were designed by HOK, with each tower serving a specific function. The tallest tower is a 39-storey residential building, offering 130 luxury apartments. The second tower is a 36-storey hotel, providing stunning views from its 318 guest rooms. The third tower is an office building, offering over 350,000 square feet of commercial space. The towers are covered in LED screens, creating a captivating light show visible from across the city.
• Historical Significance: The design of the Flame Towers pays homage to Azerbaijan's history of fire worship and its natural gas resources. The country has long been known as "The Land of Fire," with natural gas flares emitting from the ground and Zoroastrian worshippers considering flames sacred. The towers' design reflects this fiery heritage, creating a modern interpretation of this ancient tradition.
• Viewing the Towers: The Flame Towers are best viewed from a distance to appreciate their full grandeur. Consider visiting Highland Park, which offers a unique perspective of the towers with the surrounding buildings reflected on their surfaces. The towers are also visible from Baku Boulevard, the seafront promenade, offering a pleasant walk with views of the towers and the Caspian Sea.
• Light Show: Don't miss the spectacular light show displayed on the towers after dark. Over 10,000 LED lights create a flickering flame effect, along with animations of the Azerbaijani flag and other dynamic visuals. This light show transforms the towers into a dazzling display of colour and movement, making it a must-see attraction in Baku.
• Surrounding Attractions: While visiting the Flame Towers, there are several other notable attractions nearby. The towers are anchored by a retail podium with leisure and entertainment amenities. You can also visit the nearby Fairmont Baku Hotel, one of the top hotels in the city. Additionally, the Old City of Baku, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is within walking distance, offering a glimpse into the city's rich historical past.
• Practical Information: The Flame Towers are easily accessible via public transportation, with two metro lines available. Alternatively, you can use taxi services like Uber for shorter rides around the city. If you're visiting Baku for multiple days, consider purchasing a metro top-up card to save money on individual tickets. The towers are illuminated every night, so plan your visit accordingly to witness the stunning light display.

Discover the city's museums

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is a city with a deep history and a unique blend of European, Eastern, and Soviet influences. Here are some of the top museums to visit in the city:

Heydar Aliyev Centre

The Heydar Aliyev Centre is a must-see for anyone visiting Baku. This architectural masterpiece, designed by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid, stands out for its futuristic and curvilinear design, with no sharp angles or corners. The centre hosts a variety of exhibitions, events, and performances, showcasing Azerbaijani and international art, history, and culture. It also has a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and influence of the national leader, Heydar Aliyev.

Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum

Celebrating Azerbaijan's rich tradition of carpet weaving, this museum houses a vast collection of Azerbaijani carpets and rugs, showcasing historical and contemporary weaving techniques and materials. It is home to some of the country's largest and oldest carpets, with pieces dating back to the 17th century. The museum is highly rated by visitors, who describe the collection as "fabulous" and "an amazing collection of subtle art and craftsmanship spanning centuries."

Baku Museum of Miniature Books

This unique museum, located in the Old City of Baku, holds a Guinness World Record for the largest private collection of miniature books. With over 6500 books from 64 countries, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the art of bookmaking and the history of printing. Visitors can see miniature editions of literary classics, religious texts, and rare manuscripts.

Nizami Museum of Azerbaijani Literature

Named after the renowned poet Nizami Ganjavi, this museum celebrates Azerbaijan's literary heritage. It houses manuscripts, books, artworks, and personal belongings of prominent Azerbaijani writers, poets, and scholars. Visitors recommend a guided tour to fully appreciate the collection.

Independence Museum of Azerbaijan

The Independence Museum of Azerbaijan commemorates the country's struggle for independence and sovereignty. Through multimedia exhibits, documents, photographs, and artifacts, it tells the story of Azerbaijan's path to freedom, from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the establishment of the Republic. The museum currently holds over 20,000 exhibits.

Surakhani Ship Museum

The Surakhani Ship Museum is the world's first tanker museum. Housed in a former oil tanker, it offers a creative and interactive look at maritime history, engineering, and the oil industry. It features hands-on displays and exhibits related to seafaring and naval history, as well as an in-house sailing-themed restaurant.

Take a walk along Baku Boulevard

Baku Boulevard, also known as Dənizkənarı Milli Park, is a beautiful seafront promenade that offers incredible views of the cityscape. Stretching 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) long, it is the second-longest boulevard in Europe and is situated on the Caspian Sea.

• Enjoy a stroll or a jog along the boulevard, taking in the beautiful views of the Caspian Sea and the city beyond.
• Relax on one of the many benches along the way, or grab a drink in one of the many cafes nearby.
• Rent a bicycle or a pedal car and explore the boulevard at a faster pace.
• Visit the Park Bulvar shopping mall, which houses a movie theatre, planetarium, and playground.
• Take a ride on the Baku Ferris Wheel (Baku Eye) for panoramic views of the city and the coastal surroundings.
• Admire the unique architecture of the Crystal Hall, which resembles the Sydney Opera House.
• Stroll through the cactus garden and admire the exotic plants, such as the African baobab and rare olive trees.
• Visit the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, which is shaped like a carpet and houses the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world.
• Take a boat ride on the waterways of Little Venice and row past the surrounding restaurants and green areas.
• Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of the boulevard in the evening, when it is beautifully lit up and the Flame Towers put on a stunning light show.

Admire the architecture of the Heydar Aliyev Centre

The Heydar Aliyev Centre is a 57,500-square-metre building complex in Baku, Azerbaijan, designed by the late Zaha Hadid, a world-renowned and Pritzker Prize-winning architect. The building is named after Heydar Aliyev, the first secretary of Soviet Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982 and president of the Azerbaijan Republic from 1993 to 2003.

The centre is known for its distinctive architecture and flowing, curved style, which challenges traditional concepts of architecture by avoiding sharp angles. Instead, it features swooping shapes and elaborate formations such as undulations, bifurcations, folds, and inflections. The building's design was inspired by historical Islamic architecture, where rows, grids, or sequences of columns flow to infinity, establishing non-hierarchical space.

The Heydar Aliyev Centre was designed to become the primary building for the nation's cultural programmes, breaking away from the rigid and monumental Soviet architecture prevalent in Baku. The building's fluid form emerges from the folding of the landscape's natural topography and the wrapping of individual functions of the centre. All functions of the centre, together with the entrances, are represented by folds in a single continuous surface, connecting the various cultural spaces while providing each element with its own identity and privacy.

The centre consists of a 1,000-seat auditorium, temporary exhibition spaces, a conference centre, workshops, and a museum. It is located close to the city centre and plays a pivotal role in Baku's redevelopment.

Frequently asked questions