Modern Baku: 21st-Century Architecture

Baku is a city where medieval walls stand beside glass and steel. In the last two decades it has gained buildings that have become national symbols.

Key buildings

• Flame Towers — three flame-shaped towers with an LED light show.
• Heydar Aliyev Center — Zaha Hadid's flowing white wave.
• Carpet Museum — a building shaped like a rolled carpet.
• Baku Crystal Hall — the Eurovision 2012 arena.
• SOCAR Tower — the tallest skyscraper in the Caucasus (about 200 m).
• White City — a new district on the site of the old industrial Black City.

Seeing it all

A good route: Highland Park (Flame Towers view) → the Boulevard and Carpet Museum → Crystal Hall → the Heydar Aliyev Center at dusk. Easiest with our city tour by day and evening lights tour at night.