Baku, sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital, largest city, and largest port of Azerbaijan and the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, that projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City (21.5 ha).
Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan
04/10/2019
Cultural sites
Old Town (Icheri Sheher)
There are a number of interesting sites within Baku's walled fortress, the Old City (a UNESCO World Heritage site), which can all be seen on foot in one day:
The Palace of the Shirvan Shahs. The medieval palace of the Shirvan Shahs is the highlight of the Old City and a must see for any tourist in Baku.
Maiden's Tower (Giz Qalasi). This mysterious and eccentric tower was built somewhere between the 7th and 12th centuries and may have served as a fire beacon, defensive fortification, astronomical observatory, or Zoroastrian temple.
Absheron Peninsula
Outside the city, on the Absheron Peninsula, there are several interesting sites that are easy to reach via taxi or public transportation. Moreover, the scenery along your route is itself a fascinatingly ugly sight to be seen, a desert wasteland with white salt flats and natural oil pools seeping up to the surface.
Atashgah Fire Temple
Yanar Dagh. Yanar Dagh is a mountain that has been continuously on fire for one thousand years. The natural gas vents ensure that hot flames roar out of the sides of this hill even when it rains.
Museums and galleries
The Azeri National Costume Museum (Doll Museum), Taghiyev History Museum, Latif Karimov Carpet and Applied Arts Museum, Home of Jafar Jabbarli.
Other sites
The Baku Boulevard
Nizami (Torgovaya) Street and Fountain Square, (Near the Old City). This is a pedestrian street along the center of Baku that has many shopping, dining, and sitting places.
Dendro Park
Magomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall. Built in 1912 and inspired by the Monte Carlo Casino. Houses the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra amongst others.