From the moment I got off the plane to the day I left four days later, one big question lingered in my mind: Is this Asia or Europe?
This kind of square you’d only see in Europe…
And these streets as well… (Top) Near 28 May Street, (Bottom) Nizami Park
The local football team? Qarabag FK is competing in the Europa League. The streets here always feel European, the language is closely related to Turkish, the second language is Russian, it’s one of the stops on the annual F1 circuit, it even hosted the 2015 European Games and will hold matches in the 2020 UEFA European Championship. This is Baku — it’s the eagle’s beak, the capital of Azerbaijan.
Baku is hailed as the next Dubai because its economy is growing rapidly. But locals don’t like the comparison — they believe Baku has a rich historical background, not just development like Dubai. Thanks to its proximity to the Caspian Sea and abundant oil resources, Baku has been a target of contention among various powers since the Middle Ages, including the Persian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Russian Empire. The Azerbaijan we know today is the result of rapid development since the dissolution of the former Soviet Union in 1991.
Although Azerbaijan has no official state religion, the vast majority of its people are Muslim, along with Eastern Orthodox Christians, Jews, and others.
Wandering around the city feels like shuttling between Europe and Asia. The streets are filled with faces from West Asia and Russia, yet set within a modern European-style urban landscape. There are ancient European-style buildings — the Maiden Tower, the Old City, old squares, castles — as well as numerous mosques, and even monuments, Russian-style buildings, and portraits of leaders commonly seen in Russian cities, all interwoven with flashy modern architecture.
Especially since I stayed at a hotel full of Islamic character, and as soon as I stepped out, I walked past European-style streets, the modern Heydar Aliyev Center (Heydar Aliyev Merkezi), 28 May Street, all the way to the seaside landmark Flame Tower and the Old City, then back to Nizami Street near my hotel. Throughout it all, I never quite felt that 94% of the population here is Muslim. Instead, it felt like I was in a European metropolis. And the people who kept asking to take photos with me along the way had West Asian or Middle Eastern features, but what they asked me was “русский??”
It’s a pity I only had three nights here, and I was busy visiting nearby attractions. I hope next time I can get to know you better — and also experience the side of you beyond the heavily touristy areas.
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Baku’s landmark — the Flame Tower at night — its ever-changing backdrop continuously showcases the city’s vibrancy.
Baku’s modern architecture — Heydar Aliyev Center — this era-defining architecture really reminds you of the extravagance of Dubai
Baku’s Old City still retains its ancient buildings, but unfortunately, it has become quite touristy, with mostly restaurants, hotels, and guesthouses left
Along the way, there are also shops housed in renovated old buildings. This photo is of one of the larger bookstores I took
And there are also hotels