Baku, Azerbaijan
Capital City – Baku
Baku , one of the most beautiful
cities of the world, is located at the meeting-point of Europe and Asia
. The very name of the capital is
interpreted as "wind blow”, “windy city” or "hill", “city
on a hill”.
Port city Baku , a cultural, industrial, political capital of Azerbaijan , is located on the western coast of the Caspian Sea , on the shores of the same name gulf in southern part of Absheron Peninsula rich in oil deposits.
Baku consists of 11 administrative districts, 5 urban settlements
The Baku's History
Since the 5th century Baku was known as one of the cities belonging
to Caucasian Albania. In Middle Ages its name was Abako or Abaku . In
the 11th century Baku was under the rule of Shirvanshahs who made it
the capital of the entire state. In the 12-14th centuries the city in
fact was governed by the Mongols. In the 14th century Baku became a part
of Safavid dynasty ( Iran ), in the 17th century it belonged to Ottoman
Empire , in the 18th century it was within Baku khanate. In 1723 Peter
the Great conquered Baku , but in 1735 the city was returned to Iran
( Persia ). In 1806 Baku was finally occupied by Russia . From 1936 to
1991 Baku was the capital of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic . Since
1991 Baku has been the capital city of independent Azerbaijan Republic
.
Baku's Culture
Life
Baku is the largest cultural center of Azerbaijan . It is there
that the first national theater of Muslim East was opened, the first opera
was staged, the first Azerbaijani newspaper was published, and the first
Azerbaijani library was established. Today's Baku has 30 museums, 7 theatres,
11 higher education institutions, a philharmonic society, an opera theatre,
a film studio, cinema theaters, libraries which work in the most beautiful
buildings of the city the exteriors of which are as rich and interesting
as the city's culture life itself.
Industrial Baku
Baku is a major industrial center. There work the oldest oil
fields, well-known Oil Stones, a unique factory of deep-water bases;
powerful crane ships ; modern floating drilling vessels... Oil refining,
petrochemical, chemical, light, food, machine-building industries,
manufacture of oil equipment, building materials, instrument making,
electrotechnics and radio electronics, ship repair are very well developed
there too .
Baku is a large railway junction and port on the Caspian Sea . The capital's underground railway has been in operation since 1967.