The Azerbaijan State News Agency

CULTURE

BBC News: How Azerbaijan’s capital Baku built on its heritage to become a beacon of modern architecture

BBC News: How Azerbaijan’s capital Baku built on its heritage to become a beacon of modern architecture

Baku, September 16, AZERTAC

BBC News has posted an article titled “How Azerbaijan’s capital Baku built on its heritage to become a beacon of modern architecture”, highlighting modern and historical architectural landmarks of Azerbaijan.

The article reads: “For lovers of architecture, Azerbaijan’s capital city, Baku, hosts an incredible range of man-made wonders, old and new. The diverse mix of influences from both east and west has produced a city that simultaneously honours its architectural history and points to the future, with some of the world’s most ambitious and stunning architectural developments of the past two decades.

Baku’s Old Walled City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to two of the city’s oldest and most historic buildings. The first of these, the Maiden Tower, is believed to have been completed in the 12th century, although some scholars have suggested the first three storeys of the 97-foot-tall structure could date back to 600 BC. The enigmatic tower is recognised as a key symbol of Baku and appears on Azerbaijan’s currency.

Nearby, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs is a masterpiece of 15th Century Azerbaijani architecture and a location that instantly transports visitors back to the old world. In a visual contrast that must be seen to be believed, one of Baku’s modern architectural wonders - The Flame Towers - can be clearly seen from the grounds of the Palace.

The fire and the future

The most striking modern additions to the Baku skyline are undoubtedly the Flame Towers, a trio of cutting-edge, continuously curved skyscrapers that overlook the Caspian Sea and much of the city. Construction of the towers began in October 2007 and took six years to complete. Each of the three towers serve a different purpose: one is 39-storeys of residential apartments; the second, a 36-floor hotel; and the third offers more than 350,000 square feet of premium office space. A retail and entertainment complex ties the three towers together at ground level.

When Azerbaijan gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, there was an ambition to make Baku a world centre of modern architecture. As part of the effort to break away from the functional Modernist architecture of the Soviet era, one of the most remarkable developments to arise from the initiative is the Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. The sweeping curves announced the arrival of a new era for Baku in 2006. The Center houses a conference hall, a gallery and a museum, and plays an integral role in the cultural life of the city.

Another major landmark is the stunning Heydar Mosque, built in honour of the ancient Azerbaijani architectural style, complete with towering minarets and beautiful domes. Baku is also home to the beautiful Bibi-Heybat Mosque, a ’90s-built recreation of a 13th Century mosque.

Honouring yesterday, building tomorrow

Students of architecture will find no end of delights and surprises in Baku. From the Little Venice area of the city (featuring man-made canals) to the incredible Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, which honours the country’s long tradition of carpet making and is, itself, built in the shape of a rolled-up carpet. Opened in 2014, the museum is dedicated to the work of Latif Karimov, Azerbaijan’s best-known carpet weaving artist.

Notable remnants from the Soviet era of Baku’s 20th Century history include the imposing memorial to Richard Sorge, who alerted Soviet high command to Operation Barbarossa, in the city’s Zorge Park. Facing Baku Boulevard, the baroque-style Government House, designed by famous Soviet architect Lev Rudnev and completed in 1952, is still home to the state ministry offices of Azerbaijan today.

Additional modern architectural highlights include the beautiful SOCAR Tower, which is in fact composed of two towers that curve around each other as they rise 209 meters in height. Housing 42 floors of office space and conference facilities, the tower is resistant to wind speeds of 190 km/h (120 mph) and an earthquake measuring nine on the Richter scale.

Located in downtown Baku, Park Bulvar mixes Eastern sensibilities with Western modernism to create a 21st century retail experience for visitors. Meanwhile, Baku Crystal Hall, was originally constructed to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, but now houses a concert hall and sports stadium capable of welcoming 25,000 fans beneath its ultra-modern angular design.

With its track record and global reputation of supporting cutting-edge, world-class building design, Azerbaijan looks set to attract many more of the world’s most exciting and innovative architectural developments in the years ahead.”

Share news on social media

Follow us on social network

Azerbaijani FM attends reception marking Serbian Statehood Day

Azerbaijan and Ethiopian Investment Holdings sign Memorandum of Understanding

Jannik Sinner banned from tennis for 3 months for doping

Eight Azerbaijani athletes to compete at FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup in Baku

Caspian Sea turns red: Test results announced

Lavrov, Rubio agree to maintain contact, prepare for Putin-Trump summit

President Ilham Aliyev: Relations of friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Lithuania have good traditions

To His Excellency Mr. Gitanas Nausėda, President of the Republic of Lithuania

Mother, toddler die from injuries sustained in Thursday's car-ramming attack in Germany

Azerbaijani FM heads to Serbia for working visit

Azerbaijani FM meets with Latvian counterpart in Munich

FM Bayramov discusses Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process with Romanian counterpart

Omar Marmoush treble fires Manchester City to Newcastle United victory in Premier League

Azerbaijani and Iraqi FMs discuss situation in Middle East

Bayern Munich held to goalless draw with Bayer Leverkusen

Azerbaijan, Moldova discuss bilateral cooperation agenda

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry issues statement on so-called “snap presidential elections” in Georgia’s Abkhazia region

Jeyhun Bayramov briefs Turkish counterpart on Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process

Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Bulgaria discuss strategic partnership

Azerbaijan, North Macedonia discuss development of economic and trade relations

Azerbaijani judoka wins Grand Slam gold

Azerbaijani, Lithuanian FMs meet in Munich

Azerbaijan, OSCE discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation

Chancellor Scholz slams US vice president for German election interference

Opening ceremony officially kicks off Baku Grand Slam

Azerbaijan, Guinea explore collaboration opportunities in various sectors

Earthquake strikes Russia's Altai region

To His Excellency Mr. Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia

Turkish foreign minister discusses Syria, Gaza, Ukraine with US counterpart in Munich

Amazon accused by Italy of evading €1.2bn in VAT payments

SOCAR and Asian Development Bank discuss potential cooperation opportunities

Azerbaijani oil price falls below $77

Six killed, 10 injured as van collides with trawler in Pakistan

Pakistan approves collaborative venture between PSO and SOCAR Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani, Serbian FMs discuss strategic partnership in Munich

Azerbaijani FM meets with Secretary General of Council of Europe

Azerbaijani, Israeli FMs discuss regional matters

Trial of Armenians accused of crimes against peace and humanity, war and other grave crimes continues VİDEO

Azerbaijan, Kuwait hold political consultations

Azerbaijan, ADB explore cooperation

Azerbaijan Air Force military unit marks establishment anniversary

Azerbaijan makes successful start at Baku Grand Slam 2025

Azerbaijan’s Central Election Commission announces general voting results of municipal elections

Munich Security Conference kicks off as Ukraine, Middle East top agenda

President Ilham Aliyev congratulates Syria’s transitional President

Azerbaijani athletes ready for action in Balkan Athletics Indoor Championships

To His Excellency Mr. Ahmad al-Sharaa, President of the Syrian Arab Republic for transitional period

Study finds that people who entrust tasks to AI are losing critical thinking skills

Press Release of the Secretariat of the State Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia

Cyclone Zelia makes landfall in Western Australia

Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala signs new contract until 2030

Japanese gov't to release 210,000 tons of rice reserves

President Ilham Aliyev signs order on conscription

Mirza Gadim Iravani’s 200th anniversary to be celebrated- ORDER

® Azerbaijan Business Case Competition, held with Birbank’s sponsorship, has officially started

Kazakhstan and EU discuss cooperation plans at key EU institutions

Rachel Reeves comes under fire for retail banking career expenses and CV changes

Azerbaijani judokas ready for action in Samorin Cadet European Cup 2025

Head of Presidential Administration introduces new Chairman of Board of “Icherisheher” State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration to staff

Norway to open protected rivers to hydropower plants

Pope being admitted to hospital with bronchitis

Bulgaria-Romania talks held on eve of TTR tourism fair in Bucharest

Naz Reid’s 27 points help lead short-handed Timberwolves past West-leading Thunder 116-101

Mbappe will return to France squad in March, confirms Deschamps

“ASAN Khidmet” model to be applied in Columbia

® Kapital Bank recognized as the top taxpayer in the non-oil sector

6 dead in Busan hotel construction fire in South Korea

9th Xposure International Photography Festival to convene on February 20-26 in Sharjah

® akart continues promoting Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage

Climate change is coming for your chocolate, study finds

Azerbaijan’s Air Force holds the Warrant officers training course’s graduation ceremony

Fenerbahce beats Anderlecht 3-0 in UEFA Europe League play-off

Over 825,000 displaced Syrians return to their homes: UN

11 people killed, six others injured in Pakistan explosion

Loneliness and social isolation linked to increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, study finds

President of Somalia concludes his visit to Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani oil price falls below $77

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan concludes Pakistan visit

Court hearings on criminal case against Ruben Vardanyan underway VIDEO

China lauds Trump-Putin phone call, reiterates peaceful end to Ukraine war

Azerbaijani U15 table tennis players reach final of WTT Youth Contender Cappadocia 2025

Baku hosts "Tax Service – 25: Sustainable Development and Effective Transformation" Forum

Junior Azerbaijani taekwondo fighters bring home six medals from UAE

Baidu to make AI chatbot Ernie Bot free of charge from April 1

Azerbaijan National NGO Forum makes appeal to US President and Head of US Department of Government Efficiency regarding USAID

2,413 Azerbaijani nationals work for bp

People's Writer Magsud Ibrahimbeyov's 90th anniversary to be celebrated -ORDER

® Farid Huseynov: “Birbank is at the center of the Bir ecosystem, and it is the beginning of a transformative journey”

4 Nigerien soldiers injured, 27 terrorists captured during military operations in Niger

Excavation near Jerusalem finds 9,000-year-old six-fingered Neolithic shaman woman

Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Parliament and Somali President hold working lunch

2024 interim agreement sees Bulgaria supplying Greece with water from Arda River in exchange of electricity

Injuries as car plows into crowd in German city of Munich

Arab, Mediterranean states to create network to combat wildfires

ADB to provide $222mln to finance investment projects in Kyrgyzstan

At least 24 dead in Zimbabwe bus-truck collision

South Caucasus Pipeline spends $81 million in operating expenditure and $20 million in capital expenditure

Israel launches three new medical schools to address shortage of doctors

Somali President visits commando military unit in Azerbaijan

ASCO discloses volume of transferred waste for past year