Baku, Azerbaijan
After living in Minsk for 1.5 months, I decided to check out somewhere new, and Baku was at the top of that list (along with Dushanbe, Tajikistan).
I was absolutely surprised at how quickly the city was being upgraded, and how similar it felt to Dubai.
Here is a fantastic video summary of my experience living in Baku:
VIDEO
Walking around and Exploring Baku, Azerbaijan
Overlooking the city core in Baku Overlooking the city core and boardwalk in Baku Overlooking the city core in Baku The Baku Flame Towers and the TV tower station Overlooking the city core in Baku Everyone seems to have a satellite dish in Baku Overlooking a landmark statue in Baku The skyline in Baku is prefaced with soviet-era, and 90’s buildings, while in the background are the futuristic constructions Parking in Baku is a nightmare All of the classic early 1900’s buildings have been renovated to be presentable on the outside A German-inspired building in Baku No shortage of Coke and Pepsi marketing in Baku A government building in Baku The Government House in Baku, next to the Hilton Hotel The government house in Baku The fancy new Hilton hotel in Baku Tusi-Bohm Planetarium Walking along the boardwalk in Baku What’s on the menu today in Baku Some sugary pear juice imported from Georgia (the country) Traditional American candy with Traditional Turkish delights Walking along the boardwalk in Baku Walking along the boardwalk in Baku The iconic Baku Flame Towers in the Distance A dove covered in oil from the Caspian Sea The caspian sea is completely filled with Oil Azerbaijan trying to display multiculturalism and acceptance, while in an ongoing war with Armenia Two men in Baku discuss something A famous painter paints A historic tower dedicated to oil extraction? Two boys in Baku sit by the Caspian Sea Overlooking the Caspian Waterfront Mall Kids relax next to the Caspian Sea Beautiful gardens on the boardwalk of Baku The flag of Azerbaijan The promenades of Baku are stunning and clean Looking at the Flame Towers from Mini-Venice in Baku Mini-Venice in Baku Business men on a fancy golf-cart The Caspian Waterfront Mall still under development Cleanliness is a big mission of Baku. At least on the boardwalks An army of cleaners in Baku Walking towards the Baku Flame Towers The stairs towards the Flame Towers The final stairs towards the platform overlooking the Flame Towers in Baku Cranberries in Baku? Leonidas sitting down while overlooking the coast of Baku The iconic Flame towers of Baku A panorama of Baku (check out the video for the full resolution). A nice view of the city of Baku close to sunset Back towards the downtown core of Baku Police stop a driver for questioning Beautiful fountains built to impress in Baku More beautiful fountains built to impress in Baku Niyaz (Azerbaijan’s Beethoven) overlooks the fountains Niyaz (Azerbaijan’s Beethoven) overlooks the fountains The insane parking job in Azerbaijan Clean alleyways of Baku Baku City Executive Power building Walking around in the core of Baku M.F.Akhundov Garden The apartment architecture of Baku The residential streets of old Baku A veggie shack in Baku Selling painting in Fəvvarələr Meydanı Selling painting in Fəvvarələr Meydanı No shortage of American culture – Hard-rock cafe in Baku The Twin portals to Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) Inside Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) still supports many residents A cultural statue in Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) The streets of Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) A man sells tourist souvenirs and hats in Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) The facades of Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) The narrow alleyways of Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) Street directions in Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) The cats of Baku are very friendly The cats of Baku look at you and wonder Shirvanshah’s Palace in Baku Shirvanshah’s Palace in Baku Ancient art depicting Shirvanshah Ancient Arabic scripture in Shirvanshah’s palace A model depiction of Icheri Sheher (Old Baku City) The prisons or extensions of Shirvanshah’s palace A representation of old arabic culture in Shirvanshah’s Palace in Baku A representation of old arabic culture in Shirvanshah’s Palace in Baku A rebuilt Mausoleum for one of the Shah’s in Shirvanshah’s Palace Religious Symbolism that seems extremely phallic In the basement of Shirvanshah’s Palace Ancient scriptures on the entrances of Shirvanshah’s Mosques Shirvanshah’s Fountains Shirvanshah’s Mosques Shirvanshah’s ancient bath house An abundance of cats in Azerbaijan A couple guys plot the next drama in Baku The Government Executive Power house in Baku An Art Cafe at night in Icheri Sheher The beautiful lighting of Baku The government House for Executive Power in Baku Trying out a couple of donuts in Baku. Not that impressive Fountains outside Icheri Sheher The wall that surrounds Icheri Sheher Fountains adorn another angle of Baku in the night Walking around Icheri Sheher at night The Cəfər Cabbarlı State Drama Theatre lit up at night with statues along its facade Strolling along the Baku Boulevard with ornate domed buildings A park near the Azerbaijan National Drama Theatre with children playing Soviet-era and modern apartment buildings behind a wide green lawn The Azerbaijan National Drama Theatre with its columned facade and a monument in the square Baku’s skyline with a turquoise-domed mosque and modern high-rises Elevated view of Baku showing ornate domes, a tree-lined boulevard, and the city beyond The Taza Pir Mosque with the Flame Towers rising behind flower gardens A demolition site with the Flame Towers looming in the background A golden-domed mosque with a minaret surrounded by a dusty parking lot A black cat prowling in front of a golden-domed mosque on a construction site Elderly men playing backgammon at an outdoor table One of the Flame Towers up close, its glass facade reflecting the city The Azi Aslanov war memorial topped with a star, the Heydar Aliyev Center visible behind People enjoying a lush terraced park with fountains and cypress trees A Flame Tower, a mosque with twin minarets, and a war memorial standing together Headstones with flowers at the Martyrs’ Lane memorial cemetery A close-up of a gravestone at Martyrs’ Lane Panoramic view of Baku Bay and the skyline from the hilltop Construction cranes and new buildings stretching toward the Caspian Sea Rows of headstones shaded by pine trees at Martyrs’ Lane Close-up of gravestones with flowers at Martyrs’ Lane A uniformed guard outside the Milli Məclis (National Assembly) building A luxury high-rise rising above a tree-lined park with a reflecting pool The Huseyn Cavid monument surrounded by lush greenery A street-level fruit stand with a mosque minaret and turquoise dome in the background A statue of a veiled woman standing between modern apartment towers Fountains shooting skyward in front of a domed neoclassical building at golden hour Walking along the Baku Boulevard with a glass skyscraper and an arch-shaped tower under construction The Crescent Development tower under construction on the Caspian waterfront with a yacht below Close-up of construction workers on scaffolding of a high-rise building The JW Marriott Absheron hotel, a sleek curved glass tower A modern luxury residential and shopping complex with a Ralph Lauren storefront A colorful children’s playground along the Baku waterfront A massive Soviet-era apartment building with rows of arched windows Baku’s hazy skyline across a vast construction site with the arch-shaped tower and Flame Towers in the distance Construction workers gathered on a dusty lot A grand government building with the Azerbaijani flag, bathed in golden light The coat of arms of Belarus carved into the embassy building facade The Embassy of Kazakhstan with a neoclassical columned entrance The coat of arms of Kazakhstan on the embassy building facade Red and beige apartment towers with rows of balconies and air conditioning units A tiny old house dwarfed by towering red apartment blocks behind it A brown residential block with a packed parking lot and shops at street level Two men selling pomegranates and fruit from the trunk of an old car Residential towers in golden light against a stormy sky The flowing curves of the Heydar Aliyev Center seen from the highway A large Soviet-era residential block behind a green lawn A hooded crow perched on a wet railing with apartment buildings blurred behind A giant metallic skull sculpture outside the Heydar Aliyev Center The Heydar Aliyev Center at dusk with art installations and visitors The golden glass facade of the Heydar Aliyev Center glowing at sunset Visitors posing in front of a rainbow skull wall art installation at the Heydar Aliyev Center The Heydar Aliyev Center illuminated at night, its white curves glowing against the blue sky The statue of Nizami Ganjavi lit up at night in a city square An illuminated fountain in front of the old city walls of Icheri Sheher at night A cobblestone street at night in Icheri Sheher with the Salam Baku restaurant sign Leo on the cobblestone streets of the Old City at night The warm glow of Qaynana Milli Restoran with diners visible through the windows A souvenir vendor sitting by his stall on a cobblestone street at night Leo posing at night with a mosque minaret and the Flame Towers glowing behind The dramatic profile of the Heydar Aliyev Center under moody clouds A couple walking toward the Baku skyline with the TV tower and cranes in the distance A bartender behind a sleek white bar inside the Heydar Aliyev Center The sweeping interior of the Heydar Aliyev Center with curved white ramps and art galleries The futuristic main hall of the Heydar Aliyev Center with curved walls and light strips A massive bronze winged angel sculpture inside the Heydar Aliyev Center Looking up at the curved white ceiling and skylight inside the Heydar Aliyev Center A blindfolded winged figure with a horn, viewed from below inside the Heydar Aliyev Center A restored green vintage car on display inside the Heydar Aliyev Center A Soviet-era apartment block seen through the curved glass of the Heydar Aliyev Center A surrealist mixed-media artwork of a winged fairy figure with pomegranates The Baku cityscape and Flame Towers seen through the windows of the Heydar Aliyev Center Scale architectural models of Azerbaijan’s landmarks on display A lifelike doll sculpture of an Azerbaijani dancer in a traditional red dress An art doll figure reclining in period clothing on display A porcelain-and-metal android art sculpture on display Scale models of Azerbaijan’s architecture viewed from above, including the Heydar Aliyev Center itself An elaborate art doll in an 18th-century blue gown on display A blue-and-white BMW police car parked on a Baku street Conclusion For Baku, Azerbaijan
This was a wonderful city. Had I stayed here longer, I would be able to settle right in and continue working.
There is a slight language barrier when trying to get to know people, but otherwise, this is a fantastic city.
More Links
Baku on Wikipedia
Baku on Google Maps
Traveling in Minsk Belarus
Ankara, Turkey – A Quick Travel Guide
Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Traveling To A Shiny New City
Thanks for reading!
— Leo
