Baku, Azerbaijan: Land of Fire by the Caspian

Baku is an underrated city.

It sits on a peninsula jutting into the Caspian Sea on three sides — the capital of Azerbaijan and one of the wealthiest cities in the Caucasus. The country’s name itself comes from Persian for “Land of Fire”, referring to Zoroastrian fire temples and modern natural gas flares.

The Old City

The Old City (Icherisheher) is the historical core and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It holds the 12th-century Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the iconic Maiden Tower, and winding stone-paved lanes.

The palace’s sandstone walls glow warm ochre in sunlight, contrasting sharply with the glass towers of the modern city around it.

Flame Towers

The Flame Towers are Baku’s most recognizable landmark — three flame-shaped skyscrapers with LED screens that shift through different patterns. At sunset they typically show orange-red flames, making the entire skyline appear to be burning.

Most of these photos were taken around the Shirvanshahs Palace and Flame Towers area; the warm evening light makes the whole city look like it’s on fire.

Snow still dusted the Caucasus mountains in late April. The overland route from Azerbaijan to Georgia crosses snowy mountain passes — worth stopping outside the capital too.