Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan, which is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The city has incredible architecture, eclectic streets and a cozy atmosphere. This is an excellent tourist destination that is worth visiting for everyone. We tell you what the main attractions are a must see in Baku .
Icheri Sheher, or Old Town
Icheri Sheher is an ancient district of Baku, in which medieval buildings and fortress walls have been preserved. The site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can walk here all day: first visit the palace complex of the Shirvanshahs, see the majestic fortress wall or go to the huge Mohammed Mosque.One of the popular tourist spots is Kichik Gala Street, where the famous falling scene from “The Diamond Arm” was filmed. All scenes from abroad were filmed here. The attraction is mainly visited by travelers from former Soviet countries. Opposite the famous place, Baku residents opened the “Devil Damn” cafe.
The Great Silk Road passed through Icheri Shekher, so a large number of caravanserais have been preserved here: for example, Multani, where merchants from India stayed, or Bukhara, where Uzbek traders stayed.
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
Shirvanshahs are the ancient rulers of a medieval state on the territory of Azerbaijan. On the territory of the Old City, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs has been preserved , which has become a museum of history and culture. The complex of the attraction includes the courtyard of the councillors, a mosque, rooms for scientists and a bathhouse. Tourists can see unusual archaeological excavations, Azerbaijani carpets , musical instruments and even an ancient Koran.There is a legend according to which it became known how the Shirvanshah chose the site of his palace. He ordered pieces of meat to be hung around the city and set up a palace where the meat was the last to go rotten.
Entrance to the Shirvanshahs’ Palace costs 4 manats for adults. The complex is open from 10 am to 6 pm, seven days a week.
Maiden’s Tower
The Maiden Tower is a fortress that was built near the coastal cliff in Baku. The Maiden Tower consists of eight tiers: on one of them there is a museum with a heliodisplay, and on the topmost there is an observation deck.In general, there are a lot of legends about the Maiden Tower. Some believe that this is a former Zoroastrian temple, others believe that it is a defensive structure. According to one of the popular beliefs, the tower was erected by one of the Shirvanshahs at the request of his daughter, whom he wanted to forcefully marry to an unloved person. After the construction of the tower, the girl threw herself into the Caspian Sea, and that is why she began to be called Maiden.
Entrance to the Maiden Tower costs 8 manats. The museum is open from 10:00 to 18:00 from Monday to Saturday.
Mohammed Mosque
The Mohammed Mosque is located in Old Baku. The second name of the mosque is Synyk-Gala, or Damaged due to destruction after the attack of Russian troops.According to the stories of local residents, during the war one of the cannonballs of the Russian invaders hit the minaret of the mosque. The wind changed and the ships were blown away from the city. Baku residents believe that this is how God’s mercy was shown. True, the next day the city was taken with the help of ground forces.
Now the mosque is not open, excursions are held here. It was not possible to find out how much the entrance costs, but, according to some tourists, only men are allowed to enter.
Baths of Icheri Sheher
The Icheri Sheher Baths are a unique piece of ancient architecture. One part of the hammam is built below ground level to keep it cool in summer, and the second part is built above ground level to keep it warm in winter.
In hamams, Baku residents not only cleansed themselves physically, but also carried out various events and customs. For example, women gathered on weekends and held their women’s meetings here. The men played backgammon and smoked hookah.
In the Icheri Sheher area, several ancient baths have been preserved: the bath of Haji Gaib, the bath of Agha Mikhail, the hammam of Kasum-bek and some others.
Miniature Book Museum
The Miniature Book Museum is another must-visit place in Icheri Sheher. Here is the world’s largest collection of book miniatures: almost 4,500 copies from 70 countries. The founder of the museum, Zafira Salakhova, collected the exhibition for almost 30 years. In addition to works of art in different languages, there are guidebooks, encyclopedias and atlases.
You can enter the museum for free, the only thing is that it is closed on Mondays and Thursdays.
Baku Boulevard
Baku Boulevard is a favorite spot not only for tourists, but also for residents of Baku. The boulevard stretches for four kilometers: start your walk from Freedom Square and end at State Flag Square . There is a pedestrian zone, attractions, a cinema, a cafe, a children’s theater and even a parachute tower.
The most pleasant time to walk along the boulevard is on Friday evening. Locals go for walks, dance and sing.
Little Venice
Little Venice is an unusual attraction located on the territory of Primorsky Boulevard . Every day, gondolas carrying tourists float through the man-made canals. Those who don’t like boating can stroll along the walking bridges and grab a bite to eat at the two restaurants.
The attraction is really small: the ride goes quickly. The cost of the trip is 3 manats per person. One gondola can accommodate four people.
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum
The carpet museum is a rolled-up golden carpet. Inside, tourists can see Azerbaijani carpets from different eras, collections of dishes, jewelry and weapons. The oldest exhibit dates back to the 12th century.
On the second floor of the museum there is a workshop where you can observe the process of creating carpets. Entrance to the museum costs 8 manats, with an audio guide – 10 manats.
Ferris wheel Baku Eye
The Baku Ferris Wheel is located on Primorsky Boulevard. Initially, in its place there was an attraction 30 meters high, but in 2014 a new Ferris wheel with a height of 60 meters was installed.It cost the city 350 million euros.
A regular booth can accommodate eight people, and a VIP booth can accommodate four people. A full circle is completed in 30 minutes.
Baku funicular
The funicular connects Neftyanikov Square and Nagorny Park in Baku. It was built in 1960 and modernized before Eurovision in 2012.
The funicular consists of two cars running 450 meters. Each carriage accommodates 28 people. The upper station is named after the hero of Nizami’s poem – “Bahram Gur”, and the lower one – in honor of the Alley of Martyrs.
The fare is 1 manat. The funicular operates from 10 am to 10 pm with a lunch break from 13:00 to 14:00 on all days except Monday.The Baku funicular is an interesting object: sometimes it does not work even during business hours
Flame Towers
Flame towers are one of the symbols of Baku, which resemble three waving flames . Inside there are hotels, offices and residential premises.
The facade of the complex is completely covered with LED screens, which are illuminated in the evening: first, the movement of fire is displayed there , and then the flag of Azerbaijan. To see the light show, you don’t have to come close to the Flame Towers: you can watch the performance from Nagorny Park or from Icheri Sheher.
If you want to visit the towers, you can book a room at the Fairmont Hotel. The cost of one night is from 150 thousand tenge.
Azerbaijan State Philharmonic
The building of the State Philharmonic Society was built in Baku at the beginning of the 20th century. It looked like an Italian palace with terraces, verandas and various Renaissance features. In the 20s they performed on stage here for guests of a gambling house, after which the authorities decided to organize the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev.
Several musical groups work here, as well as foreign performers.
Fountain area
Fountain Square is located in the center of Baku. There are fountains of various shapes and sizes, as well as architectural monuments of the 19th and 20th centuries .
You can simply take a leisurely stroll around the square, shop at souvenir stalls or have a snack at cafes and restaurants. For example, the Azerbaijani restaurant Firuze.
The fountains operate all day, all year round. In winter, New Year’s fairs are held here.
Area of the national flag
In 2010, the Azerbaijani authorities decided to create the tallest flag in the world and create a special square in Baku. The height of the flagpole was 162 meters. The flag was the tallest until Turkmenistan built a 165 meter tall flag in 2014. Later, Saudi Arabia (170 meters) took the status of the country with the tallest flag.
You can walk around the square, see the gilded coat of arms of the country and study a detailed map of Azerbaijan. The State Flag Museum is also located here with exhibitions of flags and banners of all states that existed on the territory of Azerbaijan in different eras.
Azerbaijan Government House
The Government House is located on Freedom Square. The building is incredibly beautiful: arches, columns, towers – everything that Baku residents love. The offices of almost all the ministers of Azerbaijan are located here .
You can’t just visit the Government House, but you definitely need to see it from the outside.
Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center
The Heydar Aliyev Center is a modern complex that is distinguished by incredible architecture: there are practically no straight lines. Tourists can visit the Heydar Aliyev Museum, exhibition halls and a museum of musical instruments (highly recommended!). The author of the building is the famous architect Zaha Hadid.
On the territory of the complex there is a popular inscription “I LOVE BAKU” (“I love Baku”).
Entrance to the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center costs 15 manats.
Heydar Mosque
The Heydar Mosque is the largest mosque in Transcaucasia. It was built in 2014 by order of President Ilham Aliyev.
This is a tall sand-colored mosque with four minarets. The outside of the building is designed in the style of Ottoman architecture. Inside there are gilded decorations and traditional Azerbaijani carpets.
The Heydar Mosque is operational. It is here that both Sunnis and Shiites can pray at the same time. This, by the way, is one of two such mosques in the world.
Nagorny Park
Upland Park is an area on a hill with a lot of greenery, flowers and beautiful flower beds. The park has been operating for a hundred years.
In the upper zone of the park there is the Alley of Martyrs , which is dedicated to the people who died for the independence of Azerbaijan. In 1994, the Eternal Flame was lit here. Before the opening of the alley, there was a Muslim cemetery here.
You can get to Nagorny Park on foot by stairs or by cable car. From here you have an incredible view of the city.
Ismailia Palace
The majestic building was erected by order of oil industrialist Musa Nagiyev. He decided to leave a memory of his son, who died at a young age from tuberculosis. The palace was built by the Polish architect Ploszko: it is made with elements of Venetian Gothic.
Previously, an Islamic charitable society operated in the Palace, and later a school for girls. Now the Presidium of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences is located here.