The symbol of the renovated metropolis are the Flame Towers. The high-rises can be seen from any point in the city. During the night hours, the buildings are illuminated with the animated colours of the national flag, while occasionally switching to just orange hues, resembling real-life flames.
The history of Baku can be explored by visiting Icheri Sheher, the Old City or Fortress, as it is commonly referred to. The ancient bath houses, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, rug traders sitting on the ground — all this evokes a sensation that time has simply frozen here. Fans of Soviet-era comedy genre would easily recognise the streets, as this is where The Diamond Arm was filmed. Despite the fact that the Fortress was declared a historical and architectural reserve, it is still a residential district.
The shoreline part of Icheri Sheher features a majestic and somewhat mysterious monument, the Maiden Tower (Gyz Galasi). According to a legend, one of the Twelve Apostles, Saint Bartholomew, was executed outside the walls of the Maiden Tower. The exact date and purpose of the tower remain a mystery. During the 18th-19th centuries, the tower constructed atop the coastal cliff was used as a lighthouse. In 1964, the Maiden Tower was converted into a museum, displaying ancient wares, rugs and peculiar installations, reflecting the life in the 18th-19th centuries: dinner at a chaikhana (teahouse) and extraction of oil from a well using a bucket.
Another popular tourist attraction in Baku is the Ancient Zoroastrian Temple Ateshgah, which means Fire Temple. The temple is located near the city, and was built over the ‘eternal’ flames — seepage of natural gas from porous strata. In the mid-19-th century, the flames started to extinguish due to the lack of gas flow. The temple was abandoned in 1925, and it was not until 1975 that it was re-opened to visitors.
To find souvenirs with a local flavour, head to the authentic oriental bazaar. There are many unusual and interesting mementos you can encounter in the capital of Azerbaijan: handmade rugs, silk kelagayi scarves, ceramics, copper dishes, ornate jars and plates, chirag oil lamps and, not least of all, sweets.
