The walled Old Town was built during the VIII century and reached prominence in the XIII century as the capital of Shirvan Shahs. Reborn in the XIX century when new oil money built gorgeous mansions rivaling those of any European capital, it went into decline during the Soviet Era. Today the Old Town is ninety percent pedestrian and offers a welcome island of quiet and serenity in the very middle of the hustle and bustle of today’s Baku with its rivers of growling traffic. You can wander the cobbled streets past the extensive Palace of the Shirvan Shahs, two caravanserais (ancient inns), the 11th-century Maiden's Tower (which once was a lighthouse), medieval baths and the exquisite Djuma Mosque.
If you are planning to live or open an office in Baku, these fifty acres within the medieval city wall is The Place to be. Only about 40% of the Old Town has been renovated as of mid-2005, so many of  the houses are still in ramshackle condition, but most of the restored properties are stunning. All renovation work has been conducted under close supervision of the Baku Mayor’s office to make sure that the XIX century style is preserved and the success of this preservation policy is now evident. As you walk through the meandering narrow streets lined by grand mansions featuring facades of warm-coloured local sandstone, wooden carved doors and intricate balconies, you have the strange feeling of being taken a hundred years back in time as every house looks so clean and new, and yet so old…. Some of the renovated properties feature penthouse apartments with roof terraces offering stunning views of the Caspian Sea – great places to unwind after a working day listening to the distant hum of the city and having a kebab perfectly cooked on the barbecue. Many foreign embassies, IMF and other international organizations have their offices the Old Town alongside multinational oil companies and a score of cosy small hotels. The Old Town offers excellent opportunities to the foreign investor, as few local people seem to realize the true potential of this gem, which in their mind’s eye is still connected to the image of the Soviet-era rundown rabbit warren with five or more families sharing each house. In December 2000 the Old Town became the first location in Azerbaijan classified as world cultural site by UNESCO. With the government of Azerbaijan recently taking over control of the Old Town from the Baku Mayor’s office, the area’s future looks brighter than ever with additional government investment expected to speed up the infrastructure renovation. |
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