prominent peopleof Baku
Azerbaijan has produced many great cultural figures who are well known internationally. This 12km walking tour will acquaint you with some of the most prominent among them who lived and worked in Baku during the Soviet period. They include the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, the artist Tahir Salahov, and the singers Muslim Magomayev and Bulbul, who are revered both in Azerbaijan and other parts of the former Soviet Union.
The first stop on the tour is the Rostropovich House Museum, where the master cellist of Polish origin spent his early years, and it ends at the Alley of Honour – the final resting place of many of Azerbaijan’s leading artists, writers, scientists, musicians and more. In between, you’ll also visit the house museum of Tahir Salahov, a pioneer of avant-garde Azerbaijani art, many of whose works are on display in the National Art Museum, another place you’ll call in at.
Other cultural sites on the tour include the State Philharmonic Hall, Academy of Music, Art College, Union of Artists and Opera and Ballet Theatre, all of which had a strong influence on the lives of the tour’s heroes and, beyond their cultural interest, are located in buildings that will fascinate architecture lovers.
In addition to house museums and cultural landmarks, the tour will take you to two places where these honoured artists liked to relax and spend their free time: the Baku Boulevard, a 16km stretch of seaside promenades and parks (the delightful Pearl Cafe was a favourite meeting place), and the Highland Park, where the breathtaking views over the city offer endless inspiration.
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