Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, is a place of contrasts, where ancient history meets modern architecture. One of the most iconic landmarks in Baku is the Flame Towers, a trio of skyscrapers that are seen everywhere in the city skyline. While these towers are impressive, my experience in Baku was mixed. Here’s an honest look at what you can expect when visiting Baku and its famous Flame Towers.
Click on this link to read the expectations vs reality article of Baku.
The Flame Towers: An Architectural Marvel
The Flame Towers are kind of impressive. They are 190 meters tall. During the day they are basically just standing there, the cool part is starting when the sun is setting. At night, they come alive with a stunning light show, depicting flames, the Azerbaijani flag, and other patriotic symbols. This light show is best viewed from the Baku Boulevard or Highland Park, offering a picturesque view against the night sky.
Visiting the Flame Towers
Getting up close to the Flame Towers during the day isn’t impressive. The area around the towers is mostly business-oriented, with limited attractions for tourists. It is very fancy compared with the surroundings.
Highland Park: The Best Viewpoint
Highland Park, located nearby, is one of the best places to view the Flame Towers. The park itself is beautifully maintained and provides panoramic views of Baku and the Caspian Sea.
The park is filled with graves and reminders of killings in the past, also with the Karabakh conflict, also one of the typical post soviet fires can be found there. It’s a great spot for a walk or to catch a sunset. However, the climb to the park can be hard when it is hot, you can take a bus though.
The Baku Boulevard: A Relaxing Sidewalk
Baku Boulevard, stretching along the Caspian Sea, is another highlight. It’s a long promenade with plenty of benches, fountains, and sculptures. The boulevard is a great place to people-watch and enjoy the sea breeze. There are also several attractions along the way, including the Carpet Museum and the Baku Eye Ferris wheel.
It is quite crowded and I personally didn’t enjoy it to that extent.
Old City (Icherisheher): A Step Back in Time
Contrasting with the modern Flame Towers is Baku’s Old City, or Icherisheher. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a maze of narrow alleys, ancient mosques, and historical buildings.
A nice picture can be taken with the Flame Towers in the background.
The Maiden Tower and Shirvanshah’s Palace are must-visit landmarks here. Wandering through the Old City gives you an idea of Baku’s history and culture.
There are sections where you need to pay to enter, but this was actually my highlight in Baku, also meeting people is made quite easy there.
Honest Impressions
Baku is a city of contrasts, and while it has its share of impressive sights and modern architecture, it can also feel a bit impersonal and commercialized, like most capitals. The Flame Towers are a testament to Baku’s rapid modernization, but they’re best appreciated from a distance. The authentic region is for sure the historical areas like the Old City and also opposite of the boulevard, where people actually live, you will get a better view of the local life.
Summary
Visiting Baku and the Flame Towers can be an interesting experience. However, it’s important to understand that it is not everywhere authentic and well maintained as in the downtown/touristic region.
I personally wasn’t enjoying my time in Baku, it was just not my type. Just wandering through the streets and getting to know some of the local life wasn’t satisfying at all. I have been in hundreds of cities and I have to admit, it was one of the worst.
The way the city was built, it just was not meant to be like that, the metro is working quite decently, that is for sure something positive and it is cheap in the country, but that’s more likely the only things I was really enjoying during my time.
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