Flame towers above a walled Caspian old town
Baku grew rich on oil twice, first in the late 19th century and again after independence, and it shows. The walled Icherisheher, a UNESCO-listed old town, holds the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the enigmatic Maiden Tower among its lanes and caravanserais. Oil-boom mansions line the streets beyond, and the three Flame Towers light up the skyline at night. Zaha Hadid's swooping Heydar Aliyev Center is a showpiece of modern design. The Caspian boulevard is the place for an evening stroll.