If you’re an architecture buff and would love to witness some of the early 20th and 19th century structures, make your way to the medieval Islamic centre of ‘Baku.’ The entire city is graced with some of the most modern skyscrapers and European styles of architecture.
The very design of the buildings takes you all the way back to the varied Azerbaijan eras across history. The designs of some of these monumental structures account for some of the most unravelling pieces of architecture, that have layers of historical significance attached to them.
Tourists looking to truly soak in the beauty of this stunning place can explore some of the most beautiful architecture in Baku, Azerbaijan. Each structure that you come across has something truly unique and exquisite about it and most definitely leaves you nothing short of awestruck. Make your dream trip a adventurous one with a Baku tour package.
A brief history of Baku
For tourists travelling to the city of ‘Baku,’ in the hope to experience the incredible beauty and historical significance of the place – a brief into the story behind this exceptional place is a little something you could do with. It was about two millennials ago, that the religion of ‘Zoroastrianism,’ had such strong roots and thrived.
Commonly referred to as the worship based on fire, this religion grew leaps and bounds in the region during the course of that era. The inner city region of Baku, also known as ‘Ischeri Sheher,’ was encapsulated into a fortified city during the period of the 12 century.
It was during the 15th century that ‘Baku,’ had become the new capital of the region, with the resettlement of ‘Shirvanshah.’ It was following the destruction of ‘Shamakhi,’ through an earthquake, that ‘Baku,’ regained its form.
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The Most Beautiful Architecture in Baku
Find a list of some of the most beautiful and historical structures of architecture in the Baku region below.
- Icheri Sheher
- Ismailiyya Palace
- Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
- Palace of Happiness
- House of Government
- Church of the Saviour, Baku
Icheri Sheher
Dating all the way to the 12th century, the ‘Icheri Sheher,’ denoting the inner gates of the city found its structural form. Tourists travelling to Baku would be fortunate enough to witness some of the varied Islamic styles palaces, mosques, bathhouses and so on.
Each of these distinguished buildings played an integral part in the livelihood of the people in that era. As the old town of the city dawn nearer, the street branches on the hills begin to twist and gives tourists almost a surreal feel.
There are a number of roadside vendors that offer some of the traditional Azerbaijan carpets and also a wide array of souvenirs to take back home. Tourists can also notice a cylinder-like large structure that appears to be poking into the sky, popularly referred to as the ‘Maiden Tower.’ The tower in itself is a great example of the medieval heritage that Baku offers.
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Ismailiyya Palace
It was only during the time wherein the city of ‘Baku,’ had officially become part of the famous ‘Russian Empire,’ which in turn led to the oil exploitation racket of that time. This consequently led to a number of folk becoming rich in the process. The rich had a wide array of lavish mansions and wealthy possessions that was displayed with great pride – the ‘Baron Agha Musa Naghiyev,’ had no exception either.
Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre
The ‘Opera and Ballet Theatre,’ in the region, with its rather imposing black and yellow art nouveau has remained a great part of the Russian architecture from time immemorial. The monument in itself has a bizarre history, with its exquisite designs and intricate facades that define the very beauty of the structure.
The story behind the existence and construction of the ‘Opera and Ballet Theatre,’ is an epic that has been passed down from generations. It revolves around a wealthy magnate that was disappointed after he had not been welcomed to the mansion of a famous opera star.
This resulted in him building his own opera theatre today. And he didn’t just stop there, he also went ahead with yet another baron. It was only after about 10 months, that the construction had been over and the magnate had finally won his bet.
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Palace of Happiness
The ‘Palace of Happiness,’ also considered to be a neo-gothic mansion, is a great example of the amount of money that was spent by oil tycoons on their luxurious mansions. It was the polish man, ‘Jozef Plosko,’ who was hired by, ‘Murtuza Mukhtarov,’ to replicate an entire building for his wife – a building that she had greatly liked in France.
The year 1912, saw the construction of this great building – today referred to as the ‘Palace of Happiness,’ which took about nine months to build. The building is about five stories and holds great historic significance even today – with a much greater value placed on the ‘Palace of Marriage Registrations,’ which is housed by the ‘Palace of Happiness.’
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House of Government
Located in the central region of Baku, is the humongous ‘House of Government,’ alongside the famous ‘Neftchilar Avenue,’ – an architectural wonder in itself. This stunning baroque building is lit as the night sets in and was said to have been commissioned by the rulers who built the ugly blocks situated in Eastern Europe.
The entire structure can house about 5500 people and eventually finished its construction in the year 1992. Today, the ‘House of Government,’ is easily one of the most sought after and attractive architectural styles in the whole of Baku.
Church of the Saviour, Baku
The ‘Church of the Saviour,’ located in close proximity to 28 May Street, is a three-storied Lutheran Church that dates back to the 19th century. It was during that era that oil witnessed a great boom and thus saw a plethora of European and German folks hoping to benefit a great deal out of the same. Commonly referred to as ‘kirche,’ the church has a number of similar replicas back in its motherland.
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