Architecture in Baku
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The architecture of Baku is not characterized by any particular
architectural style An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...
, having accumulated its buildings over a long period of time. In itself,
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
contains a wide variety of styles, progressing through Masud Ibn Davud's 12th century Maiden Tower and the educational institutions and buildings of the
Russian Imperial The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. The ...
era. Late
Modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...
and
Postmodern architecture Postmodern architecture is a style or movement which emerged in the 1960s as a reaction against the austerity, formality, and lack of variety of modern architecture, particularly in the international style advocated by Philip Johnson and Henry- ...
began to appear in the early-2000s. With the economic development, old buildings such as Atlant House have been razed to make way for new ones. Buildings with all glass shell appear around the city, with the most prominent examples being the
SOCAR Tower SOCAR Tower is a skyscraper in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is the 4th tallest building in Baku and in Azerbaijan. The skyscraper serves as the headquarters of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic). Construction started in 2010 and was comp ...
and
Flame Towers Flame Towers ( az, Alov qüllələri) is a group of three skyscrapers in Baku, Azerbaijan. The height of the tallest tower is . The three flame-shaped towers are intended to symbolize the elements of fire, and are a reference to Azerbaijan's nickna ...
. Several monuments pay homage to people and events in the city. The
Martyrs' Lane Martyrs' Lane or Alley of Martyrs ( az, Şəhidlər Xiyabanı), formerly known as the Kirov Park, is a cemetery and memorial in Baku, Azerbaijan dedicated to those killed by the Soviet Army during Black January 1990 and in the First Nagorno-Karaba ...
provides views of the surrounding area whilst commemorating the victims of
Black January Black January ( az, Qara Yanvar), also known as Black Saturday or the January Massacre, was a violent crackdown on the civilian population of Baku on 19–20 January 1990, as part of a state of emergency during the dissolution of the Soviet U ...
and
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians, and seven surrounding districts, inhabited mostly by Azerbaij ...
.


Islamic architecture

With
Shi'a Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that the Prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali, ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his S ...
Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
being the dominant religion of Azerbaijan, there are may
Islamic architecture Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Islamic world encompasses a wide geographic ar ...
featured buildings that resides in
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
. Religious places have more
Islamic calligraphy Islamic calligraphy is the artistic practice of handwriting and calligraphy, in the languages which use Arabic alphabet or the alphabets derived from it. It includes Arabic, Persian, Ottoman, and Urdu calligraphy.Chapman, Caroline (2012). '' ...
drawn on the columns and other places on the structure. In December 2000, the Old City of Baku, including the
Palace of the Shirvanshahs The Palace of the Shirvanshahs ( az, Şirvanşahlar Sarayı, fa, کاخ شروان‌شاهان) is a 15th-century palace built by the Shirvanshahs and described by UNESCO as "one of the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture". It is located in the ...
and Maiden Tower, became the first location in Azerbaijan to be classified as a
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
. File:Qız qalası ümumi 2016.jpg, Maiden Tower File:Şirvanşahlar saray kompleksi.jpg,
Palace of the Shirvanshahs The Palace of the Shirvanshahs ( az, Şirvanşahlar Sarayı, fa, کاخ شروان‌شاهان) is a 15th-century palace built by the Shirvanshahs and described by UNESCO as "one of the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture". It is located in the ...
File:Baku ShirvanshahsPalace DivanKhana 004 1537.jpg, Divankhane in the Palace of the Shirvanshahs File:Muhammad Mosque (Baku) 1.JPG, Mahammad Mosque with Minarat, located in
Inner City The term ''inner city'' has been used, especially in the United States, as a euphemism for majority-minority lower-income residential districts that often refer to rundown neighborhoods, in a downtown or city centre area. Sociologists some ...
of Baku File:Təzəpir məscidi cut.jpg,
Tazapir Mosque Taza Pir Mosque (also Tazapir, Teze Pir, Teze-Pir, Tezepir) is a mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. Its construction began in 1905 and was finished by 1914. The idea for the mosque as well as its financing was provided by an Azeri female philanthropist, ...
File:Juma Mosque of Baku.jpg, Juma Mosque of Baku File:Baku Bibi-EybatMosque 004 8705.jpg,
Bibi-Heybat Mosque The Bibi-Heybat Mosque ( az, Bibiheybət məscidi) is a historical mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. The existing structure, built in the 1990s, is a recreation of the mosque with the same name built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II I ...
Islamic buildings continued to be constructed in Baku during the Imperial period. In particular, the
Ajdarbey Mosque The Ajdarbey Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque, the Ittifag Mosque) is a historic mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was built from 2 March 1912 to 3 December 1913 and is located on Samed Vurgun Street, formerly Krasnovodskaya Street, north of the ...
in then outskirts of the city was built in 1912–1913.


Imperial Russian and the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic era


Urban development and construction

With the boom of the
oil industry The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The larges ...
in Baku came an influx of both foreign western cash and ideas.
Eclectic architecture Eclecticism is a 19th and 20th century architectural style in which a single piece of work incorporates a mixture of elements from previous historical styles to create something that is new and original. In architecture and interior design, the ...
fusing not only east and west, but several western styles as well became prevalent in the architecture found in the city outside the medieval walls. Local oil industrialists had the opportunity to travel, particularly to Europe, where they came back with ideas of the European architectural styles, and had both the desire and the capital to recreate them. Two industrialized districts would be created to the east of the original medieval city and Russian garrison, the denser and older Black City and the newer, sprawling White City. The Black City was the first example of a planned industrial district in the Russian empire, it would be separated from the original residential and commercial zones by a two-kilometer buffer zone. A dense 80 sq meter block grid would be created, designated for a flexible factory-based use. Contemporaries would comment on how dirty this district was, with the black oil smoke that filled the air giving the area its name. As Baku grew industrially, the White City would be developed to house the growing industry. It was characterized by its lack of a block structure, instead opting to have larger blocks (about 500x300 meters on average), irregular in size, which would accommodate to the shape taken by the factories rather than the other way around. The White City would grow to mainly house only select new refineries, which were cleaner than those used in the Black City, and would also be home to some of the workers housing developments created by the owners of the factories and refineries. What had started as an oil boom in Baku soon turned to a construction one with the quick and massive influx of capital to the city. The city's population grew rapidly, at a rate faster than contemporary New York. The foreign population started to exceed that of the local Azeri's, and with it came western influence in construction. Due to the intensity and rapidness of development, the city was developed both vertically as well as horizontally, with most new construction boasting large foundations meant to have more levels added to it with the next influx of capital. Most of the construction was made using the local limestone quarried near the city, and the first few layers of development tended to be of vaulted masonry, meant to be structurally strong enough to develop additional stories on top later on. It was an architecture characteristic of that of an oil boomtown, one that was meant to be adapted and added to with the next boom. A side product of this rapid development, however, was un regulation in proper city planning, something complained about by contemporaries. There was a lack of proper street planning, lighting planning, transportation systems, and sanitary arrangements. In a second cycle of construction, oil industrialists who had made their fortunes in the 1870s and 80s would develop the area between the medieval walled city and the Black City in the 1890s and early 1900s, creating the metropolitan Baku that would be nicknamed the "Paris of the Caspian." They would model the area after the great European cities of the time, with wide canopied boulevards, a seaside esplanade, monumental civic buildings, and all the new technologies in communication and transportation. The oil barons competed with each other to donate the most lavish and monumental civic buildings, but the initial construction was spearheaded by
Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev , image = Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev.jpg , image_size = 250px , caption = , birth_date = 25 January 1823 The first Azerbaijani National Theater was founded in 1873, as well as another theater built in 1882. Parks and educational centers such as vocational schools were given great importance during this time, including Baku's first school for Muslim girls in 1910, designed by Josef Goslavsky, who was then the Chief Architect of Baku. Soon more of the wealthy industrialists followed and competed in a philanthropic battle of donating towards the development of the city, such as
Musa Naghiyev Agha Musa Naghiyev ( az, Ağa Musa Nağıyev) (1849-1919) was an Azerbaijani industrial oil magnate in late 19th - early 20th century. He was also an adherent of the Baháʼí Faith and served on the Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of Bak ...
and Shamsi Asadullaev. Many of the hallmarks of a thriving cosmopolitan city were constructed during this time. The Baku City Duma was built from 1900-1904, also designed by Goslavsky in an Italianate renaissance style on the northern edge of the medieval walled city. Construction of buildings in Baku remained largely using the
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
available locally, with other materials easily brought down the
Volga The Volga (; russian: Во́лга, a=Ru-Волга.ogg, p=ˈvoɫɡə) is the List of rivers of Europe#Rivers of Europe by length, longest river in Europe. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Cas ...
and through the city port. Unlike their European and Russian counterparts, however, they were not covered in stucco because of the local climate. Instead, the limestone was intricately carved, and thus used in creating ornamentation of the facade.


Oil baron mansions

As well as competing between each other in philanthropic purposes, the oil industrialists of the 1880s, 90s, and early 1900s would compete with each other to build the most lavish mansions in the new residential quarters they created. They imported architects as well as style preferences from their travels to Europe, and sought to emulate the grand urban palaces they saw for themselves in Baku. These mansions would become emblematic of the distinct architectural style of pre-Soviet Baku, a fusion of east and western styles in the eclectic style which was popular in the period. It started as an importing of purely Western styles, in some cases an almost exact copy, created from modified plans of a European palace. Such is the former residence of
Murtuza Mukhtarov Murtuza Mukhtarov ( az, Murtuza Muxtarov) (1857 – 1920) was an Azerbaijani oil industrialist and millionaire who built the Mukhtarov Palace in Baku and the Mukhtarov Mosque in Vladikavkaz. Mukhtarov was born into a poor family in a vill ...
, built for his wife after she liked a
French gothic French Gothic architecture is an architectural style which emerged in France in 1140, and was dominant until the mid-16th century. The most notable examples are the great Gothic cathedrals of France, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, Reims Cathedra ...
palace they visited. Mukhtarov would obtain the plans, hired the polish architect I. K. Ploshko to modify the plans, and built in 1911-1912. After invasion by the Red Army it was converted to a " wedding palace," a purpose to which it still serves today. The Taghiyev residence (1895-1902) is another example of the western style in the architecture, designed by the polish architect Goslavsky in the Italianate renaissance style he was known for. It is known for its heavily decorated interior, with a gilded main gallery on the second floor. It was richly decorated with a mixture of
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
ornamentation and furniture. It was converted to the
National Museum of History of Azerbaijan The National Museum of History of Azerbaijan ( az, Milli Azərbaycan Tarixi Muzeyi) is the largest museum in Azerbaijan. It is located in Baku, in the former residential house of Azerbaijani oil magnate and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghi ...
under the soviets, and the limestone chiseled "T" for Taghiyev is still visible in the facade after a Soviet attempt to remove it. As the mixing of western styles with eastern elements continued, architects from places ranging between Germany, Russia, and Poland would design not only variations of eclectic mixes between
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
and revival styles, but also eccentric mixes such as a three story mansion shaped like a dragon, a house in the shape of a house of cards, and another supposedly covered in gold leaf.


Gallery

File:Building on Nigar Rafibeyli Street 25 2020.jpg, Fountains Square and House of Musa Nagiyev File:Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall 2016.jpg,
Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall The Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall ( az, Müslüm Maqomayev adına Azərbaycan Dövlət Akademik Filarmoniyası), located in Baku, is the main concert hall in Azerbaijan built in 1910. Since 2006 Murad Adigozalzade i ...
File:Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre main façade, 2015.jpg,
Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater The Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (Azeri: ''Axundov adına Azərbaycan Dövlət Akademik Opera və Balet Teatrı''), formerly known as the Mailov Theatre
File:Azerbaijan State Economic University main building.jpg,
Azerbaijan State Economic University , latin_name = , image = Azerbaijan State Economic University main building.jpg , image_upright = 1.2 , caption = Building of Azerbaijan State Economic University in Istiglaliyyat Street , motto = , established = June ...
File:Ismailiyye palace main façade, Baku, 2015.jpg,
Ismailiyya building The Ismailiyya Palace ( az, İsmailiyyə Sarayı) is a historical building that currently serves as the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. It is on Istiglaliyyat Street in Baku. The palace was constructed for the Muslim Charity ...
File:Palace of Happines (Mukhtarov street).jpg,
Palace of Happiness The Palace of Happiness ( az, Səadət Sarayı), currently also called Palace of Marriage Registrations and previously called Mukhtarov Palace, is a historic building in the center of Baku, Azerbaijan, built in Neo-Gothic style in the early 20th ...
File:Edificio en Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-26, DD 15.jpg, A classical late Russian Empire era buildings File:Mirtağı Babayevin sarayı axşam vaxtı.JPG, Palace of Seyid Mirbabayev File:Yaşayış evi, Neftçilər prospekti, 103 2016.jpg, House of Hajinsky File:National Art Museum of Azerbaijan (de Burs House) edited.jpg,
Palace of De Boure , image = National Art Museum of Azerbaijan (de Burs House) edited.jpg , caption = Main facade of the Palace of De Boure , map_type = Azerbaijan , map_alt = , map_caption = Location within Azerbaijan , former_names = , structural_system ...
File:İslam Səfərli 19 ünvanındakı yaşayış binası.jpg, Tigran Melikov's House File:Building on Khagani Street 27 2020.jpg, House of Ambarsum Melikyan File:Building on Yusif Mammadaliyev Street 11 2020.jpg, House of brothers Rilskix


Soviet period

USSR Council of Ministers' resolution "On measures to further industrialization, improving quality and reducing the cost of construction" and "The removal of excess in the design and construction" in the mid-1950s has helped to initiate mass housing in Baku.Архитектурное развитие города
The architectural image of the country's capital was enriched by a number of interesting in conception projects and highly significant in terms of urban sites, such as the building of the historical Ismailiyya Palace, which nowadays is the office of the Presidium of National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, the Lenin Palace (now the
Heydar Aliyev Palace Heydar is a common male given name in Greater Iran, particularly in Iran and Azerbaijan. A variant of the Arabic language, Arabic name Haydar (also spelt Heidar, Haider, and other variants), it was a cognomen of Ali, who was known for his courage i ...
), as well as marine and railway stations. File:Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre 3.JPG,
Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre The Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre ( az, Azərbaycan Akademik Milli Dram Teatrı) is an academic theatre of drama in Baku, Azerbaijan. History of the theatre The theatre has its origins in Culture of Azerbaijan, national holidays and dan ...
File:Monolit building in Baku.jpg, An apartment building "Monolit" in the
Stalinist architecture Stalinist architecture, mostly known in the former Eastern Bloc as Stalinist style () or Socialist Classicism, is the architecture of the Soviet Union under the leadership of Joseph Stalin, between 1933 (when Boris Iofan's draft for the Palace ...
File:House of scientists, Neftçilər pr. 69.jpg, Residential building of scientists File:Building in Nizami street.JPG, Buzovnaneft building File:Nizami kinoteatrı.jpg,
Nizami Cinema Center The Nizami Cinema Center is a multiscreen cinema in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was built in 1940 and re-opened in 2011. History and performance Built in 1940, this is one of the oldest cinemas of the country. The cinema center was named after the poet ...
File:Intourist Hotel in Baku.jpg, Intourist Hotel, architect
Alexey Shchusev Alexey Victorovich Shchusev (academic spelling), german: Schtschussew, french: Chtchoussev, pl, Szchusiew. (russian: Алексе́й Ви́кторович Щу́сев; – 24 May 1949) was a Russian and Soviet architect who was successf ...
File:Gülüstan sarayı.jpg,
Gulustan Palace Gulustan Palace ( az, Gülüstan sarayı), formerly known as Gulustan Wedding Palace Complex during the Soviet era is the main state convention center of the Azerbaijani government. It is located on Baku's highland, on Istiglaliyyat Street overloo ...


Post-Soviet and present day

Baku’s new business districts today has shifted around the Baku city center, with many high-tech buildings and
postmodern architecture Postmodern architecture is a style or movement which emerged in the 1960s as a reaction against the austerity, formality, and lack of variety of modern architecture, particularly in the international style advocated by Philip Johnson and Henry- ...
. Aside from buildings used for business and institutions, various new residential developments are currently underway, many of which consist of high-rise buildings with a glass exterior, surrounded by American-style residential communities. File:Baku Congress Center.jpg,
Baku Convention Center Baku Convention Center is a multifunction complex located close to the City centre of Baku. It is the largest congress center in the Caucasus. With a number of flexible conference rooms, as well as a large hall with a maximum capacity of up to 3 ...
File:Baku Aquatics Centre.jpg,
Aquatic Palace The Aquatic Palace is a sporting venue in Baku, Azerbaijan, which is fully compliant with the requirements of the International Swimming Federation (FINA). The Palace hosted the 2015 European Games, Baku 2015 European Games and 2017 Islamic Solid ...
File:The_Aliyev_Center_In_Context_(220956695).jpeg,
Heydar Aliyev Center The Heydar Aliyev Center is a building complex in Baku, Azerbaijan designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and noted for its distinctive architecture and flowing, curved style that eschews sharp angles. The center is named after Heydar Ali ...
File:Azərbaycan xalça muzeyi.jpg,
Azerbaijan Carpet Museum Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum ( az, Azərbaycan Milli Xalça Muzeyi, formerly called the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum) is a museum located in Baku that displays Azerbaijani carpets and rugs with historical and modern weaving techniques and materi ...
Старая_часть_города_Баку_на_фоне_современных_небоскрёбов.jpg, The
Flame Towers Flame Towers ( az, Alov qüllələri) is a group of three skyscrapers in Baku, Azerbaijan. The height of the tallest tower is . The three flame-shaped towers are intended to symbolize the elements of fire, and are a reference to Azerbaijan's nickna ...
File:Azersu Tower in 2016.jpg, The Azersu Tower File:Port Baku Towers.jpg, The
Port Baku Towers Port Baku Towers are high-rise office buildings in Baku situated on Neftchilar Avenue next to marine port. The high-rise complex includes two towers - Northern and Southern - with 14 and 32 storey accordingly. Architecture Architectural style ...


List of architects in Baku

The architects of Baku have influenced the city's architecture throughout its development during the 19th and 20th centuries.


History

The names of numerous medieval architects of Baku are depicted on their buildings. One can mention the names of
Masud ibn Davud Masud ibn Davud was the architect, who designed the Maiden Tower (Baku), Maiden Tower in Baku, Azerbaijan in the 12th century. According to Azerbaijani people, Azerbaijani historian Sara Ashurbeyli, Masud ibn Davud was probably the father of the arc ...
, who designed Maiden Tower, his son Abdul-Majid Masud oglu, the author of the project of
Sabayil Castle Sabayil Castle is a submerged medieval fortress on the coast of the Caspian Sea near Baku, Azerbaijan. The castle is named after the surrounding area of Bayil. The structure is also known as the "Atlantis of the Caspian Sea". Research scientists h ...
and Round Castle in Mardakan,
Mahmud ibn Sa'd Mahmud ibn Sa'd ( '; az, Mahmud ibn Səd) was an architect who lived in the 13th–14th centuries. Among his works are old Bibi-Heybat Mosque (demolished in 1936), Nardaran Fortress and Molla Ahmad Mosque in Baku's Old City, all three in the mod ...
, who built
Bibi-Heybat Mosque The Bibi-Heybat Mosque ( az, Bibiheybət məscidi) is a historical mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. The existing structure, built in the 1990s, is a recreation of the mosque with the same name built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II I ...
,
Nardaran Fortress Nardaran Fortress ( az, Nardaran qalası) was built in 1301 by architect Mahmud ibn Sa'd in the northern part of Absheron Peninsula. Nardaran Fortress is located 25 km north of Baku in the village of Nardaran near the town of Mashtaga. Shirv ...
and
Molla Ahmad Mosque , image = Molla Əhməd məscidi 1.JPG , image_size = , caption = , map_type = Azerbaijan , map_relief = , map_size = , map_caption = Location withi ...
in Baku's Old City, etc. Due to the oil boom in the 19th century, Baku became a rapidly developing city and grew rapidly. The large-scale construction of the city was directly tied to the increase of the city's population. Eventually, this brought numerous Armenian, Azerbaijani, German (
Adolf Eichler Adolf Eichler (November 8, 1869 – February 5, 1911) was a German civil architect, best known for building the Saviour's Church (at the age of 24) and participating in boulevard development, both in Baku. He committed suicide in 1911. Early ...
and Nicolaus von der Nonne), Polish ( Józef Gosławski and
Józef Płoszko Józef Płoszko ( az, İosif Ploşko, russian: Иосиф Плошко; 1867–1931) was a Polish people, Polish architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was the author of multiple architectural projects in Baku, Azerbaijan. Biogr ...
) and Russian architects to the city, who ultimately influenced the city's architectural profile. Much of these architects were educated in Russia and, in particular, in St. Petersburg, Russia's capital city of the time. These included a number of high-profile designers, such as
Freidun Aghalyan Freidun Aghalyan (November 20, 1876 in Shusha, Russian Empire – February 1, 1944 in Yerevan) was an Armenian architect. In 1903 Aghalian finished a building for the Saint-Petersburg Institute of Civil Engineering. Between 1903 & 1921 he ove ...
,
Zivar bey Ahmadbeyov Zivar bay Garay bay oglu Ahmadbayov ( az, Zivər bəy Əhmədbəyov 1873, Shamakhy-1925, Baku) was the first Azerbaijani architect with higher education. Biography In 1902, Zivar bay Ahmadbayov graduated from Saint-Petersburg State University o ...
, Nikolai Bayev,
Mammad Hasan Hajinski Mammad Hasan Jafargulu oglu Hajinski ( az, Məmməd Həsən Cəfərqulu oğlu Hacınski; March 3, 1875 – February 9, 1931) was an Azerbaijani architect and statesman. He also served as a Minister for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Democratic Rep ...
, and
Hovhannes Katchaznouni Hovhannes Kajaznuni or Katchaznouni (; 14 February 1868 – 15 January 1938) was an Armenian architect and politician who served as the first Prime Minister of the First Republic of Armenia from June 6, 1918 to August 7, 1919. He was a member of ...
. From 1860 till 1868,
Gasim bey Hajibababeyov Gasim bey Hajibababeyov ( az, Qasım bəy Hacıbababəyov; 1811-1874) – was an Azerbaijani architect. Biography Gasim bey was born in 1812 in Sarytorpaq village of Shamakhi. He got his primary education at mollah. His father and older brother, ...
was considered the chief architect of Baku. Architects during the Soviet period include
Mikayil Huseynov Mikayil Alesger oglu Huseynov ( az, Mikayıl Ələsgər oğlu Hüseynov; 1905–1992) was a Soviet Azerbaijani architect and historian of architecture. He was People’s Architect of the USSR (1970), Professor (1939); Academician of the Academy of ...
,
Sadig Dadashov Sadiq Alakbar oglu Dadashov ( az, Sadıq Ələkbər oğlu Dadaşov, 1905 – 1946) was an architect and architecture historian of the Soviet Azerbaijan, Honored Art Worker of the Azerbaijan SSR (1940), laureate of the Stalin Prize of the 2nd Degr ...
,
Lev Ilyin Lev Aleksandrovich Ilyin (; 1880 in Tambov Governorate, Russian Empire – 1942) was an architect from the Soviet Union. Between 1925 and 1938 Lev Ilyin was the main architect of Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Пет ...
,
Lev Rudnev Lev Vladimirovich Rudnev (russian: Лев Владимирович Ру́днев; – November 19, 1956) was a Soviet architect, and a leading practitioner of Stalinist architecture. Biography Rudnev was born to the family of a school teache ...
etc. In Baku also worked architects Hasan Majidov, who designed the building of Museum center, Talaat Khanlarov, the author of
Heydar Aliyev Sports and Exhibition Complex Heydar is a common male given name in Greater Iran, particularly in Iran and Azerbaijan. A variant of the Arabic name Haydar (also spelt Heidar, Haider, and other variants), it was a cognomen of Ali, who was known for his courage in battle. Heydar ...
,''Эльтуран Авалов''
Яркое творчество мастера
— Азербайджанские известия, 22 August 2007. — P. 3.
Anvar Qasimzade, who designed the building of the Oil and Gas Research and Design Institute (1956) and Ulduz metro station.


Architects


Gallery

File:Azerbaijan Monument.jpg,
Taza Pir Mosque Taza Pir Mosque (also Tazapir, Teze Pir, Teze-Pir, Tezepir) is a mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan. Its construction began in 1905 and was finished by 1914. The idea for the mosque as well as its financing was provided by an Azeri female philanthropist ...
. Built by
Zivar bey Ahmadbeyov Zivar bay Garay bay oglu Ahmadbayov ( az, Zivər bəy Əhmədbəyov 1873, Shamakhy-1925, Baku) was the first Azerbaijani architect with higher education. Biography In 1902, Zivar bay Ahmadbayov graduated from Saint-Petersburg State University o ...
(1905-1908) File:Ajdarbey mosque in Baku.jpg, Ajdarbey Mosque. Built by
Zivar bey Ahmadbeyov Zivar bay Garay bay oglu Ahmadbayov ( az, Zivər bəy Əhmədbəyov 1873, Shamakhy-1925, Baku) was the first Azerbaijani architect with higher education. Biography In 1902, Zivar bay Ahmadbayov graduated from Saint-Petersburg State University o ...
(1912-1913) File:Parapet square in Baku.jpg, Parapet Square designed by
Gasim bey Hajibababeyov Gasim bey Hajibababeyov ( az, Qasım bəy Hacıbababəyov; 1811-1874) – was an Azerbaijani architect. Biography Gasim bey was born in 1812 in Sarytorpaq village of Shamakhi. He got his primary education at mollah. His father and older brother, ...
File:Hotel Metropol in Baku.jpg, Two-storeyed caravanserai. Built by Gasim bey Hajibababeyov File:Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall 2006.jpg,
Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall The Muslim Magomayev Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall ( az, Müslüm Maqomayev adına Azərbaycan Dövlət Akademik Filarmoniyası), located in Baku, is the main concert hall in Azerbaijan built in 1910. Since 2006 Murad Adigozalzade i ...
constructed by Gavriil Ter-Mikelov. File:Edificio en Baku, Azerbaiyán, 2016-09-26, DD 48.jpg, Sadikhov Residence in Baku (1910–1912) designed by Gavriil Ter-Mikelov. File:Baku Physiotherapy Institute.jpg, Physiotherapy Institute of Baku designed by Gavriil Ter-Mikelov (1929) File:Trade School, 1904 Baku.jpg, Commercial College of Baku designed by Gavriil Ter-Mikelov (1913) File:Residential building brothers Adamyan Street Baratinskaya, 1908.jpg, The dwelling house of Adamyan brothers (1908) in Baratinskaya street designed by Gavriil Ter-Mikelov. File:Tiflis bank in Baku today.jpg, Baku Commercial Bank (1901) designed by Gavriil Ter-Mikelov. File:Palace of De Bur.JPG, First building of the
National Art Museum of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan National Museum of Art ( az, Azərbaycan Milli İncəsənət Muzeyi) is the biggest art museum of Azerbaijan. It was founded in 1936 in Baku and in 1943 was named after Rustam Mustafayev, a prominent Azerbaijani scenic designer and thea ...
designed by Nikolaus von der Nonne. File:4 nömrəli xəctəxana.JPG, Building of Hospital designed by Konstantin Borisoglebskiy. File:Azerbaijan State Economic University main building.jpg, The main building of
Azerbaijan State Economic University , latin_name = , image = Azerbaijan State Economic University main building.jpg , image_upright = 1.2 , caption = Building of Azerbaijan State Economic University in Istiglaliyyat Street , motto = , established = June ...
designed by Dmitriy Buynov. File:Saint Nina school.jpg, The building of Saint Nina's school (now the building of the school №132) designed by Dmitriy Buynov. File:Building on 24 Murtuza Mukhtarov Street.jpg, The Building of the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan. Built in 1899 by Eugeniusz Skibiński. File:Budagovsky_armenian_temple_in_Baku2.jpg, Saint Thaddeus and Bartholomew Armenian Church constructed by Alexander Rotinyan, Gabriel Ter-Mikayelian, and
Hovhannes Katchaznouni Hovhannes Kajaznuni or Katchaznouni (; 14 February 1868 – 15 January 1938) was an Armenian architect and politician who served as the first Prime Minister of the First Republic of Armenia from June 6, 1918 to August 7, 1919. He was a member of ...
. Destroyed in the 1930s. File:Azərbaycan Dövlət Opera və Balet Teatrı.jpg,
Azerbaijan State Opera Theatre The Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (Azeri: ''Axundov adına Azərbaycan Dövlət Akademik Opera və Balet Teatrı''), formerly known as the Mailov Theatre
(formerly known as The Great Theater of the Mayilyan Brothers) constructed by Nikolai Bayev (1910–11). File:Semietagka_Baku.JPG, The house of Mirzabekov (Mirzabekyan) brothers on Nikolayevskaya street (today
Istiglaliyyat Street Istiglaliyyat Street ( az, Istiqlaliyyət küçəsi) is an arterial road in the central uptown part of Baku, Azerbaijan. It begins at Gulustan Palace, located on the southern hillside part of Baku, and continues north, then northeast, terminatin ...
), designed by Vartan Sarkisov File:Sabunchi Railroad Station Baku.jpg, Sabunchi Railroad Station built by Nikolai Bayev (1927; today world's largest
KFC KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is an American fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, that specializes in fried chicken. It is the world's second-largest restaurant chain (as measured by sales) after McDonald's, with 2 ...
). File:İsmailiyye palace 2006.jpg,
Ismailiyya building The Ismailiyya Palace ( az, İsmailiyyə Sarayı) is a historical building that currently serves as the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. It is on Istiglaliyyat Street in Baku. The palace was constructed for the Muslim Charity ...
: Built in 1913 by Józef Płoszko. Rebuilt by Vartan Sarkisov after a
fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
File:Puppet Theatre, Baku, 2008.jpg, Building of
Baku Puppet Theatre The Baku Puppet Theatre (formally Azerbaijan State Puppet Theatre named after Abdulla Shaig , az, Abdulla Şaiq adına Azərbaycan Dövlət Kukla Teatrı) is located on Neftchiler Avenue of Baku. It was built in 1910 by Polish architect Józef P ...
. Built by Józef Płoszko File:Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception 1.jpg, The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception. Built by Józef Płoszko File:Heydar_Aliyev_Palace.jpg,
Heydar Aliyev Palace Heydar is a common male given name in Greater Iran, particularly in Iran and Azerbaijan. A variant of the Arabic language, Arabic name Haydar (also spelt Heidar, Haider, and other variants), it was a cognomen of Ali, who was known for his courage i ...
(formerly Lenin Palace) built by B. Ginsburg, E. Melkhisedekov and V. Shulgin with the assistance of Armenian architects R. Torosyan, Martin Tovmasyan, and engineer A. Avanesov. File:Mayoralty of Baku 11.JPG, Baku Municipality Hall. Built by Józef Gosławski File:Building of Azerbaijan State Oil Academy.jpg, Building of Azerbaijan State Oil Academy. First two floors were built by Józef Gosławski File:National Museum of History of Azerbaijan 11.JPG, Building of
National Museum of History of Azerbaijan The National Museum of History of Azerbaijan ( az, Milli Azərbaycan Tarixi Muzeyi) is the largest museum in Azerbaijan. It is located in Baku, in the former residential house of Azerbaijani oil magnate and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghi ...
. Built by Józef Gosławski File:Institute of Manuscripts, Baku, 2010.jpg, Building of
Institute of Manuscripts of Azerbaijan Institute of Manuscripts ( az, Əlyazmalar İnstitutu), named after Muhammad Fuzuli, is a scientific centre of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and this center is engaged in scientific-research, archive and library science activities, rea ...
. Built by Józef Gosławski File:Landau_house_in_Baku.jpg, Residence on Krasnovodskaya street built by Vartan Sarkisov (1908).
Lev Landau Lev Davidovich Landau (russian: Лев Дави́дович Ланда́у; 22 January 1908 – 1 April 1968) was a Soviet- Azerbaijani physicist of Jewish descent who made fundamental contributions to many areas of theoretical physics. His a ...
lived in this house till 1924. File:Holl bma.JPG, Hall of
Baku Academy of Music The Hajibeyov Baku Academy of Music (Azeri: ''Hacıbəyov adına Bakı Musiqi Akademiyası'') is a music school in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was established in 1920 in Baku and was previously known as the Hajibeyov Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. H ...
. Designed by
Mikayil Huseynov Mikayil Alesger oglu Huseynov ( az, Mikayıl Ələsgər oğlu Hüseynov; 1905–1992) was a Soviet Azerbaijani architect and historian of architecture. He was People’s Architect of the USSR (1970), Professor (1939); Academician of the Academy of ...
File:National Library of Azerbaijan.jpg, State Public Library named after M.F.Akhundov (1960). Designed by
Mikayil Huseynov Mikayil Alesger oglu Huseynov ( az, Mikayıl Ələsgər oğlu Hüseynov; 1905–1992) was a Soviet Azerbaijani architect and historian of architecture. He was People’s Architect of the USSR (1970), Professor (1939); Academician of the Academy of ...


Current developments

As a developing city largely influenced by economic oil boom, there are many construction projects that are currently being built that will change the city's skyline in the near future. Some of the construction project are
SOCAR Tower SOCAR Tower is a skyscraper in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is the 4th tallest building in Baku and in Azerbaijan. The skyscraper serves as the headquarters of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic). Construction started in 2010 and was comp ...
, the Crescent Development project, Baku White City,
Baku National Stadium Baku Olympic Stadium ( az, Bakı Olimpiya Stadionu), is a stadium, designed and constructed to meet the international standards for stadiums set by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the International Federation of Association Foo ...
,
Full Moon Hotel Full may refer to: * People with the surname Full, including: ** Mr. Full (given name unknown), acting Governor of German Cameroon, 1913 to 1914 * A property in the mathematical field of topology; see Full set * A property of functors in the mathe ...
, Baku Hilton Hotel, and the Four Seasons Hotel. A lot of the new development has come at the cost of old Soviet-era existing structures. The destruction of the Soviet heritage has created controversy, such as the recent destruction of the Soviet-era
26 Commissars Memorial The 26 Baku Commissars Memorial was a Soviet-era monument located in Baku, Azerbaijan, that paid tribute to the 26 Baku Commissars from the Baku commune. The commune was overthrown in 1918 and the commissars later executed near Krasnovodsk (now T ...
in 2009 to make way for a new car park. In 2011,
Discovery channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Channe ...
's
Extreme Engineering ''Extreme Engineering'' is a documentary television series that aired on the Discovery Channel and the Science Channel. The program featured futuristic and ongoing engineering projects. After ending of season 3 it airs under the ''Build It Big ...
program featured these projects that are under construction in Baku.


Skyline


See also

*
Architecture of Azerbaijan Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...


References

{{Baku landmarks
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...
*
Baku Baku (, ; az, Bakı ) is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. Baku is located below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world a ...