Baku Boulevard

Baku Boulevard

The first construction works on the territory of Baku Boulevard began in the early 19th century. At that time, the construction of the esplanade was just beginning, and the coastline of the Old City was still empty. In the second half of the 19th century, the narrow coastline in the area was used mainly for economic purposes. There were warehouses and bridges. In the 1860s, the Caucasus and Mercury shipping company built bridges and other facilities. As a result of the construction of these facilities, the coastal strip was divided into two parts:


However, this situation did not serve to create a single coastal street that could be included in the urban structure as an organic urban element. Accidental repair and reconstruction of coastal streets did not solve the general problem of urban planning. As an important transportation artery connecting the western oil fields with the refineries in the east, Coast Street did not have sufficient capacity for almost all-day traffic. At the same time, the city had grown considerably, the central part had expanded, and the regulation of the coast had become a necessity of city life. At the same time, the reduction of water on the coast showed the need to address this issue.



Construction of Sahil Street

Gasim bey Hajibababeyov

The first steps in the work on the coast were taken by the Azerbaijani architect Gasim bey Hajibababayov, who was the architect of Baku until 1868. After the demolition of the castle wall from the sea in 1860, the coastal strip was regulated by the city architect Gasim bey Hajibabayov, and the coastal street - boulevard named after Alexander II, then emperor of the Russian Empire, was built in 1865-1868.
Architect Gasim bey Hajibababayov carried out significant engineering and planning work in the construction of a 650-meter-long coastal area. In 1862, the architect Gasim bey Hajibababayov developed a project for the placement of warehouses along the entire coast.
However, the rapid development of the city was greatly influenced by the direction of the Euro-Persian transit through its territory, which was allowed in 1863, which gave impetus to the improvement of the coast. This was stated in the "Diary of the Caucasus" of 1874






Soviet period

After the demolition of a number of bridges on the coast in the 1930s, the second turn of the boulevard was built. The area from the puppet theater to Bulbul Avenue is being landscaped. The next development of the boulevard took place in 1936-1938. At the same time, work is being completed in the opposite direction - from Azneft Square to the old Intourist Hotel. Landscaping and construction works are also carried out here. As a recreation area, the seaside boulevard created favorable conditions for Baku residents to engage in sports and physical education.
The first important Soviet-era object in the Seaside Park is a parachute tower built in 1936. [4] The 75-meter-high tower was considered the tallest in the entire Soviet Union. [4] This tower was built at the initiative of the Baku City Council at the Bakinskiy Rabochiy machine-building plant. [4] Everyone who is interested in the sport of parachuting used it. Parachute training was also held here for the youth's initial military training. [4] The parachute tower had the opportunity to jump from a height of 20, 25, 60 meters. [4]
1940s main edit]
In 1946-1950, sports societies ("Dinamo", "Neftchi", "Burevesnik", "Vodnik", "DOSAAF", "KKF") appeared in the port of Baku, where conditions were created for water polo, swimming and ski jumping. . At the same time, sea voyages and sports competitions were organized here.
1950s [edit
1960s
In the 1960s, at the initiative of Alish Lamberansky, the boulevard was renovated and expanded to 2.7 km. The boulevard also houses the Sadko and Sahil cafes and restaurants, the Bahar children's cinema, which was the first in the USSR to be used for roofing, and the Little Venice.
The "Pearl" cafe was built in 1962 on the initiative of the chairman of the Baku City Executive Committee Alish Lamberansky. He decided here after seeing a picture of the Los Manantiales restaurant, built in 1958 in Spain by Spanish architect Felix Candela.
Architect Vadim Shulgin was commissioned to design this space. [7] When designing the Pearl, the architect focused on the originality of the structure. [8] The designer of the building was N. Nikonov, one of the professionals of the time. [8] In 1962, the cafe was ready. [8]
In 1967, architect Mikayil Huseynov gave a new project for the reconstruction of the entire seaside boulevard. According to the project of architect Mikayil Huseynov on the seaside boulevard, the area was decorated with waterfalls, fountains and greenery.
1970s
In the 1970s, as a result of the expansion of landscaping and landscaping work in the country and in Baku, reconstruction work was carried out on the Seaside Boulevard. The boulevard was widened to the east and west and reached a length of 3.7 kilometers.
1980s \

The period of independence 
1990th
On December 29, 1998, President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev signed a decree granting the boulevard the status of a National Park.

2000s According to the Resolution No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated December 29, 2001, the Seaside National Park was included in the list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of national importance.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev established the Seaside Boulevard Office on January 10, 2008 in order to restore the natural landscape of the Seaside Boulevard, preserve its historical image, develop the rich flora of the area, protect the boulevard and ensure the implementation of socio-cultural activities. signed a decree on. After this Decree, the Seaside National Park began to be thoroughly renovated. Thanks to the landscaping work, the green belt of the park was significantly expanded. New trees (palms, baobabs from Argentina, cacti from Mexico, etc.) and flowers were planted here.