Many of those who happened to see the design of the Heydar Aliyev Center for the first time had hard times to believe that such a project might ever come true.In fact,even in theory ,the erection of the building of a such extraordinary design looked far from being anyhow realistic.
Construction of the Center’s facility was launched in 2007 and completed on May 10, 2012, to celebrate the National Leader’s 89th anniversary. Recognized as one of the world’s masterpieces in architecture, the Heydar Aliyev Center has immediately grown into a signature architectural landmark of modern Baku. Zaha Hadid, the author of the building's design, is a worldwide recognized architect and the winner of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize.
Not a single straight line was used in the Center’s design.
The overall shape of the building resembles a wave-like ascension from the ground towards the sky followed by gradual descent down to the earth. This is not only a tribute to post-modern architecture, but also a portrayal of an eternal cycle.
Visiting this shooting range in the suburbs of Baku will certainly worth your time. Here at a distance of 20 km from Baku you can enjoy
the scenery of steppe-alike landscape, a nearby lake and have a quality relaxation time by shooting at stable and flying targets using
different types of professional hunting rifles.
Trainers are highly professional and will give you instructions for safety and shooting in English.
Meanwhile, you can also enjoy traditional Azerbaijan tea set with some sweets.
All in all, this shooting range would especially be a great way for team-building and socializing.
Flame Towers (Azerbaijani: Alov qüllələri) is a trio of skyscrapers in Baku, Azerbaijan, including the tallest in the country, with a height of 182 m (597 ft). (There are some taller towers in Baku, but they do not have rooms inside all the way up, so are not considered skyscrapers.).
The Flame Towers consist of three buildings: South, East and West. The facades of the three Flame Towers function as large display screens with the use of more than 10,000 high-power LED luminaires.
On June 2014 Lamborghini opened its first branch in Azerbaijan, located on the ground floor of the East tower of the Flame Towers.
Baku's Upland Park is the highest point in the Azerbaijani capital, opening a panoramic view of the city and its bay.
The city's residents and visitors often come here to see a bird's eye view of Baku, and just have a walk.
The Upland Park can be reached by cable railway (funicular) in 7-8 minutes from the boulevard or by climbing up the endless stone stairs.
But it would be better to enter the park right from the top - from the square, which houses the country's parliament, alley of martyrs, and the world-famous symbol of modern Baku, the Flame Towers. This place can be reached by both public transport and taxis.
This park is a beautiful corner of Baku, and could be very interesting for the city's guests
Full of cafes, fountains and fairground rides, the central sweep of seafront park is eternally popular with families, amateur musicians and courting couples. Striking modernist buildings here include the International Muğam Centre, the Baku Business Centre and the four-storey Park Bulvar Mall. Crossing the main road to reach the promenade area can be awkward but there's a handy underpass in front of the photogenic old Puppet Theatre.
"Little Venice" in Baku Boulevard is a small town built in 1960. It was expanded up to 10.000 sq.m. in 2012. The town has two large and several small islands, which are connected by decorative stone bridges, and gondolas can be seen travelling in the channels full of still and clean water.
Located nearby the Caspian seashore you will feel yourself as in Venice by visiting ‘Small Town of Venice'. The restaurants located in the 'islands' offer various meals of the different cuisine, including Azerbaijanian tasty dishes. It will be interesting firstly to observe around in gondola, later to have a great lunch or dinner in the 'islands'.
Built on a site inhabited since the Palaeolithic period, the Walled City of Baku reveals evidence of Zoroastrian, Sasanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian presence in cultural continuity. The Inner City (Icheri Sheher) has preserved much of its 12th-century defensive walls. The 12th-century Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy) is built over earlier structures dating from the 7th to 6th centuries BC, and the 15th-century Shirvanshahs' Palace is one of the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture.
The street's history could be traced back to Baku's town-planning project of 1864. The street runs through the city's downtown from west to east. It begins from Abdulla Shaig Street, in the mountainous part of the city and ends at railroad bed on Sabit Orujov Street, near a monument to Shah Ismail Khatai in “Black City”. The total length of the street is 3,538 m.
The traffic-free segment, which begins at the Fountains Square and ends at the Rashid Behbudov Street, is commonly known as Torgovaya ("the merchant street" in Russian).
Nizami Street is famous for huge chandeliers on top of the street, various outlets, from banks to fashion stores, from restaurants to cafes and it is one of the most lively tourist spots in the whole region. The street also accommodates the embassies of Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Austria, as well as the European Union Delegation to Azerbaijan. The nearest metro stations are Sahil and 28 May.
The Baku Ateshgah, often called the "Fire Temple of Baku" is a castle-like religious temple in Surakhani town (in Suraxanı raion), a suburb in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Based on Persian inscriptions, the temple was used as a Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian place of worship. "Atash" (آتش) is the Persian word for fire.The pentagonal complex, which has a courtyard surrounded by cells for monks and a tetrapillar-altar in the middle, was built during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was abandoned in the late 19th century, probably due to the dwindling of the Indian population in the area.
The Baku Ateshgah was a pilgrimage and philosophical centre of Zoroastrians from Northwestern Indian Subcontinent, who were involved in trade with the Caspian area via the famous "Grand Trunk Road". The four holy elements of their belief were: ateshi (fire), badi (air), abi (water), and heki (earth). The temple ceased to be a place of worship after 1883 with the installation of petroleum plants (industry) at Surakhany. The complex was turned into a museum in 1975.
A 10m long wall of fire, that never extinguishes, is burning continuously alongside the edge of the hill, which naturally is at its most spectacular at night, when tourists and locals alike view the fire from a nearby teahouse.
The natural flames of Azerbaijan can be attributed to its enormous gas reserves. When exploitation of these reserves began, most of the natural fires burned out, due to a reduction in underground pressure. Of the natural fires that burn today in Azerbaijan, Yanar Dağ is arguably the most impressive.
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape covers three areas of a plateau of rocky boulders rising out of the semi-desert of central Azerbaijan, with an outstanding collection of more than 6,000 rock engravings bearing testimony to 40,000 years of rock art. The site also features the remains of inhabited caves, settlements and burials, all reflecting an intensive human use by the inhabitants of the area during the wet period that followed the last Ice Age, from the Upper Paleolithic to the Middle Ages. The site, which covers an area of 537 ha, is part of the larger protected Gobustan Reservation.
Here in Gobustan tourists can try amazingly healing experience of mud bath in one of the many mud volcano craters. The mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan have been proved to have many positive therapeutic effects.
Right after the mud bath, one can run to the Caspian Sea, which is a walking distance away, to experience yet another joyful activity; pleasant and warm waters of Caspian.
If one thing you would have to choose to do in Baku, that should probably be visiting TV Tower and its rotating restaurant which gives its visitors a chance to have a bird’s-eye view of Baku city and Caspian Sea from above the clouds. Also, be sure that you will be served amazing Azerbaijani tea set with homemade jams and cookies.
The Baku TV Tower, built in 1996, is a free standing concrete telecommunications tower in Baku, Azerbaijan. With a height of 310 metres (1017 ft), it is the tallest structure in Azerbaijan and the tallest reinforced concrete building in Caucasus.
Occasionally, Baku TV Tower's lighting is changed to specific, unique arrangements for special events. Some annual events are cause for the tower to be specially lit. Such as alternating sections of the tower were lit to blue, red and green like in traditional Azerbaijani flag to help celebrate the national holidays.
This one will certainly be an unforgettable experience for those loving adventure. Breathing fresh air of morning and feeling pleasent
wind of Baku on your face, you will just wait for that familiar sound; strong enginees of 4x4 SUVs. This off-road tour will take you to some
60 km south-west of Baku; Gobustan Rocky Area and Mud Volcanoes. It will certainly be the kind of terrain off-roaders and nature-lovers
would like to see. Not only off-road tour you will be doing, but also there will be a chance to see mud volcanoes and Gobustan Rock Paintings
which dates back to as old as 5000-40,000 years.
Bubble football or Bubble Soccer,is the recreation/sport of playing football while half-encased inside an inflated torus bubble, which covers the player’s upper body and head. This game is typically played in teams in large indoor spaces or outdoor fields. Bubble football follows the same objectives and overall rules as regular football (i.e., teams compete to hit a ball into the opposing team's goal) with the added condition that each player must wear an inflatable bubble, similar to a water ball, around their upper torso.
You can enjoy this activity at stadiums in Baku with groups of 8-10 or more people.
After trying Cruise tour at Baku Bay of Caspian Sea, one necessarily understands that Baku city has, probably,
equally attractive and unparalleled scenery from the Sea as it does on the land. It is a 45 minutes tour into the
waters of Baku Bay during which guests can enjoy some light snacks and drinks. It offers standard and VIP cabins
at a surprisingly reasonable rate.
Baku Ferris Wheel, also known as the Baku Eye, is a ferris wheel on Baku Boulevard in the Seaside National Park of Baku, capital of Azerbaijan.
The wheel is 60 metres (200 ft) tall and has 30 cabins, each holding eight people. It makes a complete turn in 30 to 40 minutes.
It is another great spot to enjoy astonishing view of Baku city an d Caspian Sea at the same time.
When it comes to shopping, you can say Azerbaijan is one of those hidden gems! And it is for a good reason..
Because its close relations with countries from different parts of the world and a rapidly groüing local market,
country has attracted many international brands to its capital city Baku. Here in Baku, with more than 20 large
and small malls, one can find any international brand items of clothing, jewellery, cosmetics, electronics and etc.
In addition to the above, tourists also find it interesting to wander the streets of Old City and purchase different
craftsmanship items, such as souvenirs, carpets, paintings etc.
Not only craftsmanship shops are the places where tourists can feel the "local taste". Markets, such as "Yashil
Bazaar (Green Bazaar)", "Teze Bazaar (New Bazaar)" are the spots where one can observe the way of shopping
and bargaining locals do and purchase many different types local foods and fruits, homemade jams and other items.
From very ancient times cleanness, consequently bathhouses have been very important part of Islamic culture and Muslim countries.
During the golden ages of each state they have paid special attention to the building of Hamams (bathhouses) along with the mosques,
schools and other public buildings.
Certainly it was not only the buildings of the Hamams, but also the experience. As a result, there has been improved very healing and
pleasent bath experience in Azerbaijan during the history. So, if any tourist gives a visit to a Hamam in Azerbaijan, he can expect Azerbaijani
national style "rubbing with foam" and Russian style "steam room", as well as, professional massage all of which will be a very amazing and
relaxing way of ending the day after long sightseeing and activity sessions.
If travelling during mid-May to early September, one will find many water parks and beaches around Baku to be very pleasent and relaxing.
It will be one of the best choices to visit these places and spend a part of the day enjoying different water activities in one of the water parks
such as Novkhani or Shikhov Water Parks or on a beach such as Shikhov, Bilgeh or Novkhani. Most of these places are just 5-10 km away
from Baku city center.
Here is another way of experiencing adrenaline rush; Karting.
It will certainly be a good decision to gift a Karting experience to your friends or family or employees in the incentive group.
Tourists can choose between two Karting centers, one located right in the shore of Caspian Sea with amazingly fresh air and
the other at indoor venue with a comfy restaurant to relax while the rest of the group is enjoying the ride.