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Баку – місто фонтанів Baku – the city of fountains
o matter where you look, you’ll surely see that construction is at fever-pitch levels in Baku. The high-rise buildings of the oilrich city reach ever higher. The renovated façades of Soviet buildings now sport fresh Eastern-style ornamentation. Construction of an ambitious 185-storey hotel has already begun, and once completed, it will likely take Burj Khalifa’s title of the world’s tallest building. The rumble of construction machines resounds with the rhythm of life of modern Baku – a quickly developing metropolitan city desperate to shrug off the legacy of the Soviets with its sights set on hosting the inaugural European Games, a multi-sport event for European athletes in 2015. Yet, time seems to have frozen in Baku’s little streets and backyards. The damp twilight in the almost empty streets have an almost dizzying herbal aroma, tiny stores attract the eye with a variety of homemade carpets, the cats gently purr and the water in fountains quietly flows near the white acacia flowers. The contrasts take your breath away – beautiful Baku seems to play with time.
To Baku With Love
Comfort is the most important thing on any trip, and most often depends on whether you can find a pleasant place to stay at your destination. The five-star JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel (674 Azadliq Square, www.jwmarriottbaku.com) in downtown Baku is the epitome of modern design, good taste and unmatched Azerbaijani hospitality, catering to guests’ every whim. Along with modern design, the hotel’s interior features elements of Azerbaijani landscapes, a palette of marine colours and the nature found on and around the Absheron Peninsula, all of which help travellers instantly immerse themselves in Azerbaijan’s extraordinary atmosphere. JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel’s true pride is a choice of restaurants ready to fit any taste, with windows and terraces overlooking the sea shore and Freedom Square, the main square of Baku. On the first floor, gourmets will enjoy Zest Lifestyle Café with its signature desserts, and Fireworks Oriental Kitchen found one floor above, which offers tasty meats and vegetables cooked on an open fire according to Azerbaijani tradition. Razzmatazz Cocktail Bar & Lounge will amaze with a creative cocktail menu, while OroNeroBar & Ristorante focuses on serving each customer individually – after a personal conversation, the chef will pick and make a dish especially for you. The three upmost floors of JW Marriott Absheron Baku have an ultra-modern spa-centre, a gym and a luxurious indoor pool with an unmatched view of the Caspian Sea and skyline of Baku’s business centres. Such relaxation instantly revitalises, giving you the energy to stroll through the Old City, which is only 10 minutes away.
The Map of the Old City
After enjoying the beauty of the Sea Boulevard of Baku, sightseers usually head for the Icheri Shekher Fortress – a historic and cultural reserve. The building that usually attracts the most attention is the Shīrvān-Shāh Palace built in the 15th century, when the ruling family of Shīrvān-Shāhs moved their capital from Shamakhi to Baku. The vast architectural compound includes the Divankhane – the burial vaults of the Shīrvān-Shāhs, a mosque with a minaret built in 1441, baths and a mausoleum built for court scientist Seyid Yahya Bakuvi. In the past, this area was the feudal city of Baku, a point of intersection of important trade routes carrying goods to Genoa, Venice, the Golden Horde, Moscow Kingdom and other cities of Central Asia. Today, one of the best views of the Flame Towers, the symbol of modern Baku, opens from the fortress walls.
Готель JW Marriott Absheron Baku JW Marriott Absheron Baku Hotel
PANORAMA № 8 / 2013 / 31