Cultural life of Baku

The famous French writer Jean-Richard Bloch wrote: " this city, where the Western and Eastern styles are purposefully contrasting, blending and merging, was fortunate..."

Baku is the city, where the curtain of the first national theater’s stage went up, the first opera was staged, the first Azerbaijani newspaper was published and the first Azerbaijani library was opened in the Muslim East. Along with ancient cultural and architectural monuments, Baku attracts attention with pearls of modern architecture.

The Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center, designed by the famous Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, was opened in 2007. Baku also has many museums, such as the Baku Museum of Modern Art and the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan, where historical works and works of art are exhibited. The city was declared as the Capital of Islamic Culture in 2009. Baku hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. It was also the first city to host the first European Games in 2015.

The Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall and the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater are among the most prestigious cultural venues in Baku. The festivals include the Baku International Film Festival, the Baku International Jazz Festival, and the Novruz Festival. International and local exhibitions are presented at the Baku Expo Center.

Incredible music stages of the city are Baku Crystal Hall, Heydar Aliyev Palace, Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall, and International Mugam Center.

There are 30 best museums, 7 theaters, 11 universities, a philharmonic hall, an opera house, film studios, cinemas, and libraries in Baku.