Note: This trip took place between February 15-18, 2025.
🇦🇿 General Information About Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has been home to various civilizations throughout history. The Shirvanshahs, who hold an important place in history, established a state with its capital in Shamakhi in eastern Azerbaijan, and this state ruled over Azerbaijani lands between the 9th and 16th centuries. The Shirvanshahs moved their capital to Baku after an earthquake in Shamakhi in the 12th century. Today, many buildings from that period can be seen in the Old City of Baku. The Safavid Dynasty, which ruled the lands of Azerbaijan in the 16th century, adopted Shiite Islam as its official religion, and during this period, there were many conflicts between the Ottoman and Safavid dynasties. By the 19th century, the Russian Empire had occupied Azerbaijani lands, and the petroleum industry began to develop in Azerbaijan during this period. After the Bolshevik Revolution in the Russian Empire in 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was established, but it was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1920. During the Soviet era, the Azerbaijanis were considered “Tatars” because the Tatars were known as the only Muslim community within the union. Azerbaijan continued as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic until 1991, and when the union collapsed, the Republic of Azerbaijan was established.
During the Soviet era, a mixed population structure was established in Nagorno-Karabakh and its surroundings, and the region was called the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. Armenians and Azerbaijanis lived together here, but the majority of the population was Armenian. Towards the end of the Soviet era, movements and organizations for independence emerged in many Soviet societies. In 1988, similar movements occurred among both Armenians and Azerbaijanis in this region. In 1988, Armenians demanded that Nagorno-Karabakh be annexed to Armenia, tensions began to rise in the region, many families suffered persecution and were forced to migrate.
In 1991, the union dissolved, and Armenia and Azerbaijan were established as two independent states. Between 1992 and 1994, an intense war broke out in the Karabakh region, and the region came under Armenian control. With the start of the Second Karabakh War by Azerbaijan in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control of a large part of the region. However, tensions continue to this day. Today, traces of both communities can be seen in both countries. For example, today there is an Armenian church right next to Fountains Square in the center of Baku. The Baku Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Church is currently closed and cannot be visited. However, the people we spoke to said that there are Armenian neighborhoods in Baku and other cities and that they continue to live there safely.
🏛️ Monuments and Buildings
The Haydar Aliyev Palace, located on Bülbül Avenue, was built between 1979 and 1980. At the time of its construction, it was called the Lenin Palace. In 2004, its name was changed by then-President Ilham Aliyev. During the period it was built, the Lenin Palace building was Baku’s largest event center. In the 1970s, large concert/congress palaces were being built in the USSR as central venues for mass culture and party organizations. Many similar buildings can be found in other Soviet cities. The building, designed by a local team of architects who were students of Azerbaijani architect Sadıx Dadashov, reflects the late Soviet modernist style. Indeed, during the Brezhnev era, a more functional and modernist style came to the fore, unlike in the Stalin era. Today, a statue of Heydar Aliyev stands in front of the building. As expected, there was a statue of Lenin here in the 1970s. After the collapse of the USSR, this statue was removed. We can say that the removal of the statue and the renaming of the building in 2004 are examples of Azerbaijan’s de-Sovietization.
The Baku Metro began development during the Soviet era. Of the three active metro lines today, two were built during the Soviet era. The stations on the line built during the Soviet era feature typical Soviet metro station architectural characteristics. The stations are built quite deep, and long, steep escalators are used to reach the platforms. Nizami Station features mosaics depicting scenes from Hamse, considered the most important work by Nizami Gencevi, one of Azerbaijan’s most important artists, as well as a mosaic depicting Nizami himself.
During the Soviet era, mosaics were not merely ordinary decorations but served as ideological, artistic, and social tools of great significance. Mosaics adorned factory walls, squares, metro stations, and schools, featuring figures of workers, peasants, scientists, and soldiers. Themes such as the construction of communism, the brotherhood of peoples, Lenin and party leaders, progress in science and technology, and the space age were commonly chosen. In this way, every citizen came into contact with art in their daily lives. Of course, it was also an important propaganda tool. It was a visual way of instilling in Soviet citizens the feeling that “we are building a great civilization.” At Baku Slavic University, important figures in Azerbaijani literature were depicted in a heroic style characteristic of the Soviet era, with dynamic lines, billowing fabrics, and bright red-blue contrasts. However, there is one detail about this mosaic: the mosaic we see today is not the one made during the Soviet era. The current mosaic was installed here in 2016. However, the first mosaic was placed here in 1972. In 2016, during renovation work, the mosaic was completely removed and replaced with stone panels. The university administration pointed out the potential safety risks associated with stones falling from the mosaic, claiming that a student had been injured as a result. Despite the public reaction following the removal of the mosaic, it was not rebuilt or restored because experts stated that reinstalling the mosaic would be technically very difficult; it was said that once the mosaic material had been laid, any intervention could cause the pieces to fall completely. As the reactions continued, the mosaic we see today was installed in accordance with the original design.
The Government House, located on Neftçiler Prospekti along the shores of the Caspian Sea, is the building currently used as the administrative headquarters for several ministries of Azerbaijan. Construction of the building began in 1936, was interrupted due to World War II, and was completed in 1952. Stalin was the leader at the time, and since the building was completed just one year before Stalin’s death, it is considered one of the last major buildings of the Stalin era. The architects of the building were Lev Rudnev, Vladimir Munts, and K. Tkachenko. It was built in the Stalinist architectural style, also known as Socialist Classicism. The aim of this architectural style was not only to create a functional building but also to produce “monumental” structures that would demonstrate the power and ideology of the state to the people. During the Stalin era, the Azerbaijan SSR and Baku were the oil capitals of the USSR. Therefore, it was desired to build a symbolic and magnificent building that would reflect the city’s Soviet identity. With its enormous dimensions, it is one of Baku’s most striking structures. It was a fully Stalinist building, adorned with motifs, sculptures, and reliefs symbolizing the socialist era. However, after the collapse of the USSR, some of these motifs and decorations, such as the Lenin statue in front of the building, were removed as part of the de-Sovietization process.
Mirvari Tea House/Restaurant, located on Baku Boulevard, a coastal park on the shores of the Caspian Sea, is one of the most iconic buildings of Soviet Baku. Mirvari means “pearl” in Azerbaijani. The building was completed between 1962 and 1963. It is one of the best examples of late Soviet modernism. In the 1960s, influenced by the space race in the USSR, buildings with a futuristic and experimental architecture similar to Mirvari were constructed. Mirvari, one of the popular meeting places for the people of Baku during the Soviet period, was neglected for a while after the collapse of the USSR, but was later restored and reopened in the 2000s.
Nizami Gencevi, as his name suggests, was born in the city of Gence in Azerbaijan and is one of the greatest classical poets of the 12th-century Islamic world. His most important works are his Hamse collection. These works contain both mystical and philosophical elements as well as themes of love and human values. Although Nizami wrote his works in Persian, he holds an important place for the Azerbaijani people because he was born on Azerbaijani soil. He shaped the Azerbaijani poetic tradition and was also a source of inspiration for later poets such as Fuzuli and Hatai. As before, Gencevi still holds a special place in Azerbaijan today. The USSR government also embraced the values and artists of different nations and interpreted them in line with socialist ideology. In 1939, during Stalin’s era, the 800th anniversary of Gencevi’s birth was celebrated across the USSR. This was an important development for Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis. In addition, Nizami Park, the Nizami Gencevi Monument, and the Azerbaijan Literature Museum, named after Nizami Gencevi, which still stand today, were completed in the early 1940s. The area, known as Nizami Square, has been an important point in the city both during the Soviet era and today. In 1991, the USSR Mint issued a commemorative coin in honor of the 850th anniversary of Gencevi’s birth.
The 20 Yanvar neighborhood, one of the microdistricts established during the Soviet era, can be reached in a 15-20 minute journey from metro stations such as 28 May (the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was founded on May 28, 1918), located in the center of Baku. The name of the district comes from the events of Qara Yanvar, or Black January, which took place in Azerbaijan’s recent past. On the night of January 19-20, 1990, the Soviet army entered Baku and intervened against demonstrators demanding independence, with Soviet tanks and soldiers firing on civilians in the city. According to official records, more than 147 people were killed and hundreds were injured. This event was a turning point that accelerated the independence process in Azerbaijan. Today, in the 20 Yanvar neighborhood, there are multiple microdistricts, and buildings constructed at different times are still inhabited. It is possible to see 4-5-story Khrushchev-era buildings and 9-story Brezhnev-era buildings in 20 Yanvar.
The building that now serves as the Azerbaijan Railway Museum was constructed and opened in 1926 as the Sabunçu Train Station (named after Sabunçu, the destination of trains departing from here). The building’s architectural style resembles the Shirvanshahs’ Palace in the Old City. With the opening of this station in 1926, not only Azerbaijan but also the USSR gained its first electric train line. So much so that the opening of this line was reflected as the beginning of a new era for the Soviets, with the emphasis that “Lenin’s electrification plan came to life in Baku.” Azerbaijan has one of the largest oil reserves of its time. The oil fields in the Sabunçu region, in particular, are of great importance to the USSR. The purpose of building this station was to provide transportation for workers employed in these oil fields between Baku and the refinery and oil fields. This line was later taken as an example for the Moscow metro and other electric railway projects. Today, the building, which serves as a museum, houses numerous valuable collections and information about Azerbaijan’s oil production and rail transport. During our visits to the railway museum and the literature museum in Azerbaijan, we had the following experience. After entering both, an expert accompanied us to guide us through the museum, and we toured the museum under their guidance without any additional fee being requested.
Today, an Ammendorf brand railcar is on display at the museum. Ammendorf is the brand name of the VEB Waggonbau Ammendorf railcar factory located in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). Ammendorf produced passenger railcars, trams, and electric train sets from the 1940s to the 1990s, and also exported railcars to the USSR from 1950 onwards. Electric train railcars manufactured by Ammendorf were used on Baku’s electric suburban train line from the 1960s onwards. The restored carriage on display in the museum today has preserved seats, signs, and ticket machines to recreate the travel atmosphere of the era.
A nice detail is also featured inside the train car. In Russian and Azerbaijani cultures, tea is a social bonding agent. Drinking tea on trains in the USSR was almost a ritual. Metal or porcelain tea cups were usually found in the carriages. In some carriages, especially those manufactured in East Germany, such as Ammendorf, the tea cups were carefully secured so that they would not spill while the train was in motion. Such a tea cup is also presented in the carriage on display at the museum.
Undoubtedly, the most important issue in Azerbaijan’s post-Soviet history is the Karabakh conflict with Armenia. The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, which ended with Azerbaijan’s victory in 2020, is still on everyone’s mind in the country today, and there are many buildings, monuments, museums, and street names in the city that constantly remind you of this victory. One of these is the Open-Air Museum of War Trophies, located on Baku Boulevard. This museum displays Armenian war trophies captured by Azerbaijani forces during the 2020 war. In fact, the Azerbaijani government established after the Soviet Union frequently uses some of the propaganda methods employed by the Soviet regime, which you feel strongly when walking around the city. This museum is one of these propaganda tools. The museum attracts a lot of interest, and as I mentioned earlier, this ongoing war never leaves the country’s agenda. No matter who we talked to while touring the city, the conversation somehow turned to the problems with Armenia.
As we tour the museum, we notice that almost all of the captured vehicles are Soviet-made.
🎤 Encounters and Conversations
- The first evening, we chose to dine at Firuze Restaurant, where Muzaffer Bey, who worked as a waiter, took care of us. He is an Azerbaijani man under the age of 30. When we told him we were from Türkiye, he approached us warmly, like many others, and we chatted a bit. When he mentioned he wanted to be an actor, we talked about Azerbaijan’s television industry. He said that Azerbaijan doesn’t have many original productions, and that programs that are popular in Türkiye often start being filmed in Azerbaijan too. He said that Turkish series are generally watched for TV shows. He said that comedy isn’t done in the same way as in Türkiye.
- While wandering through the narrow streets of the Old City, which is Baku’s historic district and home to important structures such as the Maiden Tower and the Shirvanshahs’ Palace, we entered a shop filled with paintings. Inside, it was quiet and peaceful. As we quietly looked around, the shop owner asked us where we were from, and a conversation began. The shop owner was Nejat Bey, a sculpture and painting collector who also sold some of his pieces here. We talked with him about Azerbaijan’s current situation and its relations with Armenia, Israel, Russia, and Turkey. He was very talkative and had a lot to say. However, some of the things he said caught our attention. When I asked him why Russia had not been involved in the problems between Azerbaijan and Armenia, he replied: “Azerbaijan did not do what Ukraine did. It did not try to solve this problem with America or NATO; it went out and fought itself. But Russia allowed this war to a certain extent. We were going to take the Zangezur Pass too, we were very close (the Zangezur Pass is a mountain pass between Azerbaijan’s main territory and Nakhchivan, controlled by Armenia). However, several Russian ships in the Caspian Sea approached Baku at that moment. One night, a bomb exploded in Azerbaijan; nothing major happened, only a few people were injured, but these were signs. The Russians now wanted us to stop.” he said. Many people in Azerbaijan know Nuri Pasha, the Ottoman pasha, very well. We first learned this from Mr. Nejat. In 1918, Baku was facing an Armenian threat. Nuri Pasha, one of the commanders of the Caucasus Islamic Army, took control of Baku and its surroundings together with Azerbaijani militias. This event boosted the morale of Azerbaijani society and also contributed significantly to the beginning of friendship between Turks and Azerbaijani Turks. We made our trip to Azerbaijan a few months after the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 from Baku to Grozny. We discussed this issue with Mr. Nejat. He had different views. He said that Lavrov, who currently serves as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, has Armenian roots (his father was an Armenian born in Tbilisi) and that this is an obstacle to positive developments between Russia and Azerbaijan. When the plane was shot down, Azerbaijani President Aliyev was on his way to St. Petersburg, Russia, to attend the Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States. When the plane was shot down, he canceled his visit. According to Mr. Nejat’s claim, important decisions in favor of Azerbaijan were to be made at this meeting, but this was prevented by the plane crash. Of course, these statements are unverified claims made with intense emotion. Nejat Bey is not the only person we spoke to about these issues. It must be acknowledged that Azerbaijani society is not detached from current events; on the contrary, it is very much involved in them.
- When we went to examine the buildings constructed during the Soviet era in 20 Yanvar we stopped by the greengrocer to get information about the neighborhood. The greengrocer, Mr. Vasif, was a veteran of the Karabakh War. Given this, we talked more about his life story than about the houses in 20 Yanvar. He had been in Türkiye several times for long periods to receive military training, staying in Ankara and Istanbul. He now lives in the city of Sumgait, north of Baku, and commutes to Baku every day. He is the child of an Azerbaijani Turk family who lived in Armenia during the 1988 Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict. During this period, his family was forced to migrate and settled in Sumgait. His eyes filled with tears as he spoke about the war in which he was wounded, but his faith is strong. He says that one day Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan will be connected and there will be a continuous route from Türkiye to Azerbaijan. “They fear the Turks, they will do everything they can to keep us apart, but you will see, one day we will take Zangezur too,” says Vasif Bey.
- We toured the Railway Museum in Azerbaijan with Nermin Hanım as our guide. Oil has always been, and continues to be, very important for Azerbaijan’s economy. In the Azerbaijani language, oil is called “neft,” and you see this word everywhere. For example, on Neftchilar Avenue, one of Baku’s main boulevards, and at Neftchilar Metro Station. The Neftchilar School in Baku trains personnel exclusively for the oil industry. Azerbaijan’s railway history is also intrinsically linked to oil. Azerbaijan met a large part of the USSR’s oil needs. During World War II, known in the USSR as the Great Patriotic War, oil from Azerbaijan was extracted and transported by train to the city of Poti on the Black Sea coast of Georgia, from where it was transported to other parts of the USSR. For this reason, the Azerbaijani people believe they made a significant contribution to the victory in the Great Patriotic War and take pride in this.
- While touring the Azerbaijan Literature Museum, we were again guided by a very knowledgeable lady. She gave us a detailed tour of the museum for about three hours. Naturally, we talked a lot and bonded while touring the museum. She was born, raised, and educated during the Soviet era. She is very knowledgeable about literature and history. She says that education was very good during the Soviet era, and that while studying literature, they received intensive education not only about the geography of the Soviet Union but also about world literature and history. “I know Gencevi by heart, just as I know the Ottoman ruler Kanuni by heart,” she says. She has both good and bad memories of the USSR. For example, she said she didn’t have many opportunities to travel. While traveling around Azerbaijan, we saw busts and signs written in the Cyrillic alphabet in many places. A large portion of the books in bookstores are in Russian. Many people in the city also speak Russian. We asked her about this, about compulsory language education in the country, and why so many people speak Russian. She said there are schools that provide education in both Russian and Azerbaijani. She also said that people tend to send their children to schools that provide more Russian-language education.
🚕 Transportation
The Bolt taxi app is very popular here. We used Bolt for transportation to and from the airport. Both trips cost us about 10 Manat for a 25 km distance. We used the metro within the city, and a single metro ride cost 0.5 Manat. Other than that, we walked to most places.
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