Architectural Guide Baku

On the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea lies, on the periphery of three former empires, lies Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The importance of the Russian, Persian and Ottoman Empires is renowned across Europe, yet Baku remains little-known, despite the impact of these civilisations leaving their structural traces on today’s European-looking metropolis of two million people.

The architecture of Baku is a kaleidoscope of different influences, including Icheri Sheher, the UNESCO-protected Old City; art nouveau, from the time of the first Oil Boom of the late 19th–early 20th centuries; and the constructivist Soviet-era epoch, characterised by functionality and the Stalinist style. Since regaining its independence in 1991, international star architects have designed iconic buildings of steel and glass, transforming the city at breathtaking pace, representing the modernity and westwardfacing opulence of the city.

This landmark architectural guide documents more than 100 buildings and projects in Baku from across the millennia.