The central street in Baku

Azerbaijan

Billing itself as the 'Land of Fire', Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan) is a tangle of contradictions and contrasts. Neither Europe nor Asia, it's a nexus of ancient historical empires, but also a ‘new’ nation which has undergone an extraordinary transformation from the war-ravaged post-Soviet 1990s to an oil-enriched host of Formula 1 and Europa League football.

Best Things to Do

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Exterior of Heydar Aliyev center (designed by Zaha Hadid) at night.

    Heydar Aliyev Center

    Baku

    Vast and jaw-droppingly original, this Zaha Hadid building is a majestic statement of fluid 21st-century architecture forming abstract waves and peaks…

  • The Maiden Tower in Old Baku, Azerbaijan

    Maiden’s Tower

    Baku

    This tapering 29m stone tower is Baku’s foremost historical icon, with rooftop views surveying Baku Bay and the Old City. Possibly millennia old, its…

  • Alinja Castle

    Alinja Castle

    Azerbaijan

    For those prepared to climb over 1500 steps up a mountain crag, one of Naxçivan's great highlights is the magnificent view from the sparse medieval ruins…

  • Xan Sarayı

    Xan Sarayı

    Azerbaijan

    This ornate 1762 palace building features vivid murals and dazzling coloured light streaming through şəbəkə (stained-glass windows), making it Şəki’s…

  • Möminə Xatun

    Möminə Xatun

    Azerbaijan

    Perfectly proportioned, if gently leaning, Naxçivan’s architectural icon is a 26m brick tower dating from 1186. It’s decorated with geometric patterns and…

  • Yarat Contemporary Art Centre

    Yarat Contemporary Art Centre

    Baku

    Yarat means 'create', a spirit that's in ample evidence in this centre's many thought-provoking installations that don't shy away from sociopolitical…

  • İmamzadə

    İmamzadə

    Azerbaijan

    One of Azerbaijan's most impressive Islamic structures, the İmamzadə is a masterpiece of brickwork and Central Asian–style blue majolica tiles on the…

  • Flame Towers

    Flame Towers

    Baku

    Completed in 2012, this trio of sinuous blue-glass skyscrapers forms contemporary Baku's architectural signature. The three towers range from 28 to 33…

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New mosque in Baku

Architecture

The best things to do in the beautiful Baku

Feb 6, 2022 • 5 min read

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