Baku Introduction Walking Tour (Self Guided), Baku

Baku is the capital city of Azerbaijan. It is also the country's largest city with about 25 percent of the nation's population located here.

A city existed on the site of Baku since at least the 5th century ADE. The city at that time was called Bagavan. The first record of its modern name appeared in 938 when it was called Bakuh. The city was a domain of the Arab Caliphate, followed by the Shirvanshahs. Shirvanshah Akhsitan I built a navy in Bakuh to protect against invading forces, which was often successful.

The capital moved to Bakuh after an earthquake destroyed the previous capital of Shamakhy. As the country was occupied by various powers over the years, it remained the capital and most important city in the region.

Baku began seeing significant financial success in the 19th century when an oil boom brought massive growth. From the last half of the 19th century to about 1910, Baku grew faster than some of the world's greatest cities, like New York City, London and Paris.

The city fell under communist control in 1920, which would massively change its landscape and success. It remained a major producer of oil, but many of the most important architectural sites were altered or destroyed. Mosques were dismantled or used for other purposes, which was the case with Juma Mosque. It because the first home of the State Carpet Museum.

After the Soviet Union fell, Azerbaijan became an independent nation. Many of the Soviet-era buildings were taken down and replaced with parks, green space and other recreational areas. A prime example of this is Baku Boulevard, which is now a lush promenade adjacent to the Caspian Sea.

In the years since the Soviet Union fell, Baku's culture, technology and architecture have rapidly advanced. This can be best seen in the Flame Towers, which are three skyscrapers covered in LEDs that project stunning images across their facade.

Take this self-guided walking tour to see some of the most important and historic sights in Baku.