AZERBAIJANI ARCHITECTURE STYLEBack to Main

The Soviet Period | Housing Crisis in the Soviet Union

During the political reign of Communist General Secretary Nikita Krushchev in the early 1960s, a housing crisis spurred the construction of many simple, low-cost apartment buildings made of cement or brick. This style of architecture, known as khrushchyovka, is immediately recognizable and ubiquitous across the former Soviet Union. Today, modern Azerbaijanis see this tract housing as an ugly reminder of past economic hardship.
A typical khrushchyovka apartment
zoom
A Typical Khrushchyovka Apartment


AZERBAIJANI Architecture

Old City BakuModern Azerbaijan is both a dynamic, progressive nation and an ancient civilization with vibrant traditions and culture. Nowhere is this combination of old and new more evident than in Azerbaijan’s built environment. For example, the architecture of Azerbaijan’s capital city, Baku, beautifully showcases this legacy. While Baku’s office buildings, apartment complexes, and glass skyscrapers mirror modern European design, ”Old City” Baku, known as  Icheri sheher,  features medieval Islamic domes, minarets, and ancient stone walls.

Azerbaijani Radio Hour


The Voice of the Karabakh Foundation, October 2, 2011. Access any of the shows of the Azerbaijani Radio Hour: The Voice of the Karabakh Foundation at www.KarabakhFoundation.org.