Baku - White City, the Carpet Museum and the Flame Towers

Hello friends. Later in our Baku vacation, we visited the White City. If you want to see the Paris or London of Azerbaijan, I think you should go to White City. In fact calling Baku the Paris of the Caucasus dates back to the second half of the 19th century. At that time 19th century Parisian architecture and Ottoman influences were very popular. Wealthy residents of Baku had their buildings constructed in the Parisian style. The natural cream tones and black wrought iron railings that suit Baku so well come from this period. This is still a developing area and it is impressive.

At first glance it is clear that this is a unique type of development for Baku. The name White City is highly symbolic. In the past all of Baku, especially this area, was called Black City because of oil production and poor environmental conditions. The project, which has been ongoing since 2011, plans ten residential districts. The buildings we saw were in French and English styles. In some of them, everything from decorative chimney replicas on the roofs to landscaping, classic color palettes and building forms looks almost identical to Paris. Even the signs resemble those in Paris, although they are now used across the city.

Of course, there are many critics of this development, because copying another place while Baku has such a rich history and architectural identity is a controversial choice. Some people find it artificial and unsuitable for a capital. These criticisms may be valid, but I still like the project, because it is not only about copying architecture, urban planning principles have also been applied. Unlike developments built in Baku twenty years ago, they did not just put up buildings and leave them there. There are no cars parked on the sidewalks, everyone has a designated parking space. Every building has an underground parking garage. There are also green areas, wide walking paths and surprisingly well designed accessible spaces. The streets are planned so that rainwater does not accumulate on walkways. Although it is still quite quiet, I think this area is a strong candidate to become the trendiest district in Baku.

If you come here, I recommend seeing Villa Petrolea and visiting White City. You will feel the difference in urban planning and accessibility yourself. This modern district is about 7 km from the city center and you can walk almost the entire route along the waterfront. The Baku seafront is currently 16 km long, with plans to extend it to 24 km.

In summer, when you see the Caspian Sea at 34 degrees, you may want to cool off, but unfortunately swimming in the sea in the city center is forbidden. The water is very polluted because of oil production. You can see offshore oil platforms from almost anywhere in the city. To swim, you need to travel about 30 km outside the city. When you step outside in July, you feel like you are in a sauna. Baku is a windy city, but in summer the wind is usually warm. If you are not coming in summer, be sure to bring a beanie, because the cold northern wind can be very harsh.

After walking a bit along the coast, we saw Little Venice, one of the most popular spots for tourists. This canal system, where gondolas float, was built in 1960 and was considered an exotic place at the time. Right next to it is the building shaped like a rolled carpet, which houses the Carpet Museum. If you are not very interested in carpet art, you do not have to visit, but inside there are historical carpets dating back to the 15th century. The signs are in Azerbaijani and English, so they are informative, but touring with a guide can also be a good idea.

Later as we moved south, we saw the symbols of modern Baku, giant shopping malls, one of the tallest flagpoles in the world at 191 meters and the Crystal Hall where Eurovision was held. And of course, the modern icon of the city, the Flame Towers. These towers, which are about 200 meters high, stand on a hill and are visible from almost everywhere in the city. Seeing these modern glass towers rise above the medieval buildings of the old city reflects the spirit of Baku very well. They look spectacular at night with their lighting. The best view is from Highland Park.

Traveling in Azerbaijan is largely about the people. In Europe, you can have a vacation without much interaction with locals, but here that is impossible. From hotel staff to taxi drivers to helpful people on the street, everyone communicates with you. Most young people speak English and those who do not often apologize and try to help using gestures. Once, when we were stranded after a concert, someone gave us a free ride home just out of hospitality. Or if you have a language issue in a market, someone immediately steps in to translate. I spent ten days in Azerbaijan and I can say this, three to four days are enough for Baku, but it is best to visit not in the peak summer heat, rather in September, October or May.