Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan and the largest city in the Caucasus. The city is located on the southern shore of Absheron peninsula with a territory covering over 2,130 square kilometers. It slopes like an amphitheater down the peninsula into a bay.
Baku has a lot of important places to see and visit. UNESCO includes various destinations in Azerbaijan’s capital on its World Heritage Sites list including: The Inner City, which is surrounded by the walls of the fortress, which was aimed to protect a small, at that time, city since the XII century; Shirvanshah’s Palace, a magnificent complex of structures, including a mosque, mausoleum, burial-vault and divan-khana; and Maiden Tower, a masterpiece of the Middle Ages. Moving from downtown Baku, one should definitely visit another historical site called Ateshgah, a place for Zoroastrian worshipers. Mosques, churches, and synagogues together compose a unique picture of the religious tolerance and multiculturalism of Baku. Marvelous mosques, such as Juma Mosque, Taza-Pir Mosque, Bibi-Heybat Mosque as well as a Lutheran Church of the Savior, a Russian Orthodox Church of Michael Archange, St.Mary’s Catholic Church of Baku, and Jewish Synagogue are a must see.
Baku offers an intense list of various cultural attractions. The Azerbaijan State Museum of History, located in the former mansion of the famous Azerbaijani philanthropist and oil magnate Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, is one of the largest museums in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijan State Museum of Art has a huge collection of works by both national and foreign artists and sculptures from ancient times till now. Baku is also a center for modern artists, whose works are gathered in the Museum of Modern Art, which was designed in a very ingenious and striking style. The Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Azerbaijan State Academic Drama Theatre, Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall, International Mugham Center, and Baku Jazz Center are a few in the big list of places where one can enjoy music and performance.
