Do you know what the common thing between a religious temple, a skyscraper, a cultural centre, a memorial, and a parliament building is? Actually, we can point out two such things. The first one is the art of architecture. The second - especially when we speak of the city of Baku - is beauty.
The Flame Towers are three iconic, illuminating skyscrapers, located in the centre of Baku. One of them is the highest in Azerbaijan, reaching a considerable height of 182 meters. Those three towers are not only architecturally impressive but also serve as a special symbol. They are meant to symbolise the long history of the fire-worshipers - a group of people who believed Azerbaijan to be the birthplace of Zoroaster. That's why the buildings are entirely covered with LED screens which illuminate bright lights in the form of a burning fire. This spectacular view can be easily seen even from the most distant points of the city.
Heydar Mosque is a spectacular and impressive worshiping place for Muslims, built back between 2012 and 2014 by Ilham Aliyev. Regardless of their personal religious beliefs, every visitor of Azerbaijan would fancy the beauty of the building, which itself consists of four 95 meters high minarets and a 55 meters high central dome. The facade is embellished with some unique stones, and the sides of the domes are precisely decorated with certain passages from the Koran.
The Maiden Tower is a 12th-century monument, situated in the heart of the Old City of Baku. Since 2001 it is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, also listed as Heritage in danger, after a destructive earthquake which happened in the recent years. The Tower also hosts a Museum, which displays artifacts, representing the history of Baku's Old City during the ages. This is actually a place of numerous myths and unsolved mystery, which has inspired a lot of the Azeris' folk tales and different pieces of art. The main unanswered question is about the character and purpose of the building. One of the most popular legends says that back in Zoroastrian times it was the home of a virgin girl, who saved Baku's people from slavery.
The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is one of the architectural treasures in the Old historical City of Baku. This is a 15th-century Medieval residence, which was once built by the Shirvanshahs - the ruler family of the (long gone) state of Shirvan. As a historical monument, the Palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List and is boldly described as "the pearl" of the country's architecture. The place is open for visitors all around the year, it offers guided tours in different languages and has an entrance fee of about 5$.
It's good to know that there is a special place in Azerbaijan to see some carpets, except for every second restaurant. Actually, the carpet weaving art is a considerable part of the country's cultural heritage. The museum has an impressive collection of over 10,000 items which (beside carpets) also include jewelry, metal, and ceramic art.
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