Baku
Designed like an eight-petalled flower but five stories high and made of steel and glass, this giant project has been under construction since 2007 and was originally conceived as a congress centre. In fact, when it finally opens (estimated for 2020) it is likely to be a shopping mall and entertainment centre.
Original architectural designs posted online lead many sci-fi fans to dub the project the 'Death Star', but the final version is far softer.
3.07 MILES
Vast and jaw-droppingly original, this Zaha Hadid building is a majestic statement of fluid 21st-century architecture forming abstract waves and peaks…
0.57 MILES
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…
1.3 MILES
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…
0.58 MILES
Completed in 2012, this trio of sinuous blue-glass skyscrapers forms contemporary Baku's architectural signature. The three towers range from 28 to 33…
0.61 MILES
This splendid confection of sandstone walls and domes was the seat of northeastern Azerbaijan’s ruling dynasty during the Middle Ages. Mostly 15th century…
0.89 MILES
Ever-popular with strollers, this leafy piazza forms Central Baku’s natural focus. The fountains for which it is named include one topped by shiny…
9.87 MILES
The unique Ateşgah is an 18th-century fire temple whose centrepiece is a flaming hearth. Arching above is a four-pillared stone dome with side flues which…
1.99 MILES
This joyous tailor-made gallery uses struts and tubing to create a wide variety of intimate viewing spaces, in many of which you can recline on bean-bag…
0.2 MILES
From historic flatweaves to modernist picture-rugs, this tailor-made museum displays and explains a superb collection of Azerbaijani carpets. It's housed…
0.22 MILES
This 60m big wheel performs attractive light shows after dark. It spins very slowly, so a ride takes nearly 15 minutes including stops. Should you tire of…
0.26 MILES
This powerful 1958 fountain-statue depicts a mythical Azerbaijani hero using a giant scimitar to slay a snake-like water-spewing 'dragon'. In a pool…
0.28 MILES
The snazzy little funicular whisks you up from near the restaurant Chinar to the Flame Towers area in just three minutes. Time between departures can vary…
0.51 MILES
Housed in two century-old oil-boom mansions, Baku’s foremost collection of classical art ranges from 17th-century French landscapes to Meiji-era Japanese…
0.52 MILES
Though it appears relatively squat seen from outside, the interior of the Old City's carving-festooned 'Friday' mosque contains beautifully patterned…
0.53 MILES
Partly dating from at least 1079, this little mosque is considered the the oldest still standing in Baku. Its nickname, 'Sinıq Qala' (Broken Tower), was…
0.55 MILES
The most notable feature of the 'Highland Park' that stretches south from the Flame Towers is this sombre row of grave memorials – Bakuvian victims of the…