Primorsky Boulevard is an integral part of Baku. It seems that he has always existed here; it is impossible to imagine the city without him. In 2009, the boulevard celebrated its centenary, and it looks like this is just the beginning rich history, because now he is experiencing a rebirth. But first things first.
This is what the boulevard looked like a hundred years ago
The Baku Boulevard was going to be built at the beginning of the nineteenth century, but construction began only in 1909 on the initiative of the Baku engineer Mamedhasan Gadzhinsky. Money for the creation of the boulevard was allocated from the city treasury, with the help of local patrons. The improvement of the coastal area began with the section from the pier of the Caucasus and Mercury society to the house of the famous oil industrialist and singer Seyid Mirbabaev. Nowadays the Puppet Theater is located on this site. The attraction of the boulevard was the bathhouse, built in palace style, surrounded by trees and flower beds.
During Soviet times, the bathhouse was liquidated due to changes in the level of the Caspian Sea. It must be said that the sea has repeatedly made the citizens and authorities of Baku nervous, making its own adjustments to the landscape of Primorsky Boulevard. Over the next twenty years, the level of the Caspian Sea constantly dropped, which made it possible to create a lower tier of the embankment and an open area by the sea, which was decorated with cascades of fountains. In the nineties, the level of the Caspian Sea rises again, and part of what was built ends up under water. The pedestrian overpass, the yacht club and the boat pier were flooded. We have to carry out reconstruction again and raise the lower tier by several meters.
To mark the centenary of Primorsky Boulevard, a musical fountain that has no analogues in the world appears here, numerous attractions are being restored, cafes and cinemas are opening. The parachute tower has been restored, which, thanks to its unique lighting, has become another landmark of Baku.
If you go left from the Carpet Museum along the sea and reach the pier, and spend a five-manat ticket there, then you can see both the luminous tower and the entire embankment while walking along Baku Bay on a boat. Especially good Boat trip at night, last flight The boat leaves at half past eleven at night. You will be able to enjoy the shimmering Crystal Hall, the lights of the Nagorny Park, and the light show on the walls of the Fire Towers. By the way, for ten manats you can ride a boat in a VIP class cabin, with soft seats and a working cafe. But keep in mind that then you will not feel the wind blowing your hair and the smell of the sea.
But, alas, you cannot swim in Baku Bay. It never even occurs to anyone - oil stains on the water clearly hint that it is unsafe for health. Alas, the problem of pollution of the Baku Bay remains relevant to this day. Both domestic and industrial waste from the city are dumped here. In 1996, about 5,000 tons of metal and wooden waste - sunken ships, pipelines and other metal structures - were recovered from the bottom of the bay.
If you go left from the Carpet Museum, towards Crystal Hall, you will see a new part of Primorsky Boulevard. By 2015, the territory of the Primorsky Park will become five times larger, the length of the boulevard will also increase, and constant improvement and expansion work is currently underway. Take a ride on the Ferris Wheel, look up close at the walls of the Crystal Hall, created from numerous luminous screens, and go to Flag Square. At night, your way will be illuminated by multi-colored lanterns fancifully bent in different directions: some of them seem to bow, welcoming you, others froze with a question mark, others slightly moved to the side, as if looking at the guests. You will go straight to the sea, you will be able to smell it, lie down and sunbathe in the sun. It is still quiet here and there are very few people. But you still shouldn’t swim.
Primorsky Boulevard is a favorite vacation spot for Baku residents; couples come here, bring children, and walk their dogs here. Unlike most other parks, there are no signs prohibiting animal walking on every lawn, so in the evening you will meet a lot of four-legged Baku residents walking importantly after their owners.
There are many carousels in the park for children; teenagers entertain themselves with rollerblades and riding bicycles. If finances allow, you can have a good time in one of the coastal cafes; if not, just buy a bottle of juice and a bag of chips from the kiosk that dots the embankment.
If you walk along the embankment towards the Marine Station, you can find very unusual sights, for example, an alley of cacti! Right in the center of the alley, a significant area is allocated and fenced off, on which cacti of all kinds grow, from the familiar flat ones to the exotic Texas ones, the same ones from which tequila is made, the height of a person. Who landed them here and why? Who came up with the idea of creating a live exhibition of cacti is a mystery, but it looks very original. No less original is the fountain located a little further, consisting of tubes collected in balls. Tight streams of water dissipate, giving coolness to everyone who dares to come close.
On the embankment you will find a lot interesting sculptures. The shoe shiner, hunched over his stool, seems to be waiting for you to put your foot on it. However, this is exactly what tourists do to take pictures. Or a lonely captain, intently examining Baku Bay from the shore. By the way, for some reason the captain is very short, maybe a submariner?
The pearl of Baku and one of its calling cards - Primorsky Boulevard was not born immediately. Once upon a time there was a place city wall, which protected Baku from attacks from the sea.
In the 60s years XIX century, the wall turned out to be unnecessary - there was no one to raid Baku, and they decided to demolish it. The wall was dismantled, the city government sold the stone for 44 thousand rubles - a huge amount of money at that time. On them, the authorities created a 30-meter space along the shore - a prototype of the future embankment. Around the same time, original buildings in the Moorish style began to grow there - after all, at first it was decorated mainly with warehouses with goods and the piers of shipping companies. All this was intended for trade with Persia. Thus began the long and eventful history of the Baku Primorsky Boulevard.
Today it is compared to the world famous Copacabana Boulevard in Rio and the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. But Primorsky Boulevard in Baku is unique. This is an embankment that stretches for 5 kilometers along the seashore, and literally tomorrow its length will increase five times more! Today, the embankment starts at the foot of the Nagorny Park and runs along the shore of the Caspian Sea, past Icheri Shekher - the Old Town to the Sea Port. The most picturesque part of the boulevard is located between Nagorny Park and the Governor's Garden (Azneft Square). This is not a dull strip of asphalt under the scorching sun. Throughout the entire boulevard, cozy shady alleys are planted, canals akin to Venetian ones are dug, flower beds are laid out, open-air cafes are set up, where it is so good to drink a glass of mineral water with the strongest coffee brewed in Azerbaijani style in the heat and play chess. Here, on this boulevard, no one is in a hurry, especially in the evenings. But in the evening, when the heat of the day subsides a little, the boulevard blossoms. It seems that all of Baku has gathered here. Families walk, loving couples roam, everything is here. Particularly interesting is the Carpet Museum, where samples of ancient Azerbaijani and Iranian carpet weaving are collected and carefully preserved.
Near the Carpet Museum there is a pier where pleasure ships and boats moor, they set off on their daily journey along the picturesque canals, and at some point it seems that you are no longer in Baku, but in Venice, especially since the banks of the canals are built the houses are in the Venetian style, and there are openwork bridges across the canal. Another shock awaits in the Old Town. The symbol of Baku, glorified by poets, overlooks the embankment here. Primorsky Boulevard in Baku has national significance. Like Red Square in Moscow, Khreshchatyk in Ukraine or St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. By decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated January 10, 2008, taking into account the importance of Primorsky Boulevard for the history, culture and ecology of the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Primorsky Boulevard Office was created under the Cabinet of Ministers. In accordance with the same document, the Primorsky Boulevard began to be thoroughly improved and reconstructed. The money was allocated by the Baku City Hall.
When the plan is fully implemented, the territory of the Primorsky Park will be increased fivefold. It will stretch from the Marine Station to the village of Zykh and from the Palace of Hand Games to the Bibi-Heybat Mosque - 25 kilometers. Today, major reconstruction continues on the boulevard in the National Seaside Park located next to it, the green area is expanding, new musical fountains are being built, and the coastline is being modernized. All work is planned to be completed by 2015, and then we will all be able to see the updated Primorsky Boulevard. He will appear in all his splendor from the Bayylov Heights to Zykh. Construction of new ultra-modern hotels is already underway here. It is worth noting that all industrial facilities located along the construction route will be moved outside the city. Undoubtedly, this will improve the environmental situation in Baku - just as the demolition of the fortress wall once gave access to the city to fresh sea wind.
Where is:
01. On the one hand, the boulevard is the embankment of the Caspian Sea stretching along the central part of Baku. 
02. On the other hand, this is a cult place where concerts are held in Baku, where a wonderful park is laid out, a musical fountain works, street exhibitions are held... In the end, this is a place where it’s so cool to walk day and night, breathing in the fresh sea air. 
03. In addition, the boulevard offers a good view of modern city.
04. Of course, there are the usual attributes here too modern world, like shopping and entertainment centers 
05. Well, here's one of them - Park Boulevard. Modern architecture combined with parklands looks quite attractive, in my opinion. At the top there is a veranda with nice restaurants, I recommend it. 
06. In general, it’s nice to just walk here. The territory of the boulevard is a national park, so the state is investing money here, thoroughly reconstructing the territory. So by 2015 it is planned that the length of the park will increase five (!) times, and will be 25 km. 
07. Well, today, in the reconstructed part of the boulevard, it’s good. These are the views from the Marine Station (where the park begins). 
08. The feeling of home comfort and caring attitude towards the park did not leave me all the way. Clean, beautiful... 
11. Of course, strange plants were brought here from afar. 
12. Without delving too deeply into the history of the park’s origins, I’ll mention that it’s already over 100 years old! In 1909, the territories were cleared, trees were planted, flower beds were laid out, in addition, a bathing area was created, with a special summer palace, where you could leave your things, change clothes, or just drink tea. 
13. Today they no longer swim here (I didn’t see any floating oil, but the towers in the sea are visible on the horizon). But the tradition of drinking tea on the embankment, in numerous cafes, remains. 
15. There is also a real parachute tower here, reminiscent of an oil derrick in shape. This 75-meter structure was installed here in 1936 as a means of extreme entertainment. That's what we would say today. In those days, the basic military training of young people was taken much more seriously, and jumping from a tower was quite an honor. There were four marks in total at heights of 10, 20, 25 and 60 meters. The parachute had a permanent canopy that did not change or fold. Be that as it may, in the 60s, after a tragic incident, the tower changed its purpose, turning into a silent landmark and a recognizable city landmark. 
16. Several piers go out to sea, some of them have free access, and you can walk along them, inhaling the fresh sea breeze, or fish. 
17. Or think about something of your own, looking into the distance... 
18. The pier offers a good view of city landmarks. Modern business center with a large exhibition hall, and several small conference rooms, in addition there are office spaces, meeting rooms and a restaurant inside. As far as I understand, any company can rent temporarily (for a day or an hour) one of the premises for negotiations or some kind of event. It's funny. 
19. Whether we like it or not, now Baku looks something like this from the sea. 
20. Near the shore, there are steps leading to the sea, along which it is pleasant to walk, or sit, talking with friends or a girlfriend. By the way, I haven’t seen anyone drinking beer or anything stronger... 
21. From here you can watch the Caspian ferries entering the port. "Professor Gul" and similar ones operate on the ferry lines Baku - Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan), or Baku - Aktau (Kazakhstan). Transported mainly railway cars, cars and passengers. 
22. By the way, the lines are quite busy, the port serves two to three ferries a day. 
23. Well, our story is not about them. Let's return to Primorsky Boulevard. 
24. We have already briefly looked at the sea side of the boulevard. From the city side there is a view of Neftchilar Avenue (or Neftchilyar). This is perhaps the main street of Baku. There are many important sites and attractions of the city located on the naya. The photo shows an element of the Government Palace. 
25. Nearby Hilton Hotel on Freedom Square. 
26. Quite nice buildings, completely rebuilt, look like palaces from the outside. I don’t know what’s inside, who knows, tell me. 
27. Actually, Freedom Square. Funny Hilton looks at Marriott (Absheron), Marriott looks at Hilton, 
28. and between them the Government House.
O. BULANOVA
Primorsky Boulevard is truly the sea facade of Baku, which for almost two centuries determined the face of the capital of Azerbaijan.
The history of Primorsky Boulevard, including the embankment, which was in different years different names, incredibly interesting. In 2009, the centenary of the boulevard was solemnly celebrated, but its history is much longer.
Conversations about the need for an embankment in Baku have been going on for a long time, various options were discussed.
According to the original version of the project, between the fortress wall that surrounded Icheri-Shekher from the sea and the buildings behind it, it was planned to lay a street of unprecedented width for that time - 18 m. On one side, the street would be limited by the fortress wall, on the other side by the rear facades of the buildings . With significant elevation changes new street would not be able to play a significant role in the city and would be architecturally inexpressive.
Therefore, in 1865, the Baku military governor and manager of the civil part, Lieutenant General Mikhail Petrovich Kolyubakin, submitted a petition to demolish a section of the old fortress wall that separated Icheri Sheher from the sea coast and “with its uselessness impeded the free movement of air.” Permission was obtained and the wall was demolished.
However, after the demolition of the wall, the need for architectural design of the embankment immediately began to be felt. Therefore, the proceeds from the sale of the stone from the demolished wall (44 thousand rubles) were “used for the construction of a pier,” newspapers of those years wrote, “and an elegant stone embankment, which was soon decorated with a number of beautiful private houses.”
Baku owes its first improvement to the architect Karl Gippius, who, by the way, defended the Palace of the Shirvanshahs when they tried to adapt it as a city prison. K. Gippius participated in the formation of a number of streets and in the design of the first houses on the embankment. Connoisseurs and historians are well aware of his watercolor of 1867, which depicts the embankment and the houses on it, including the governor’s house (later it housed a medical workers’ club with an attached third floor, and later the Four Seasons Hotel was built on this site).
Baths and general view of the boulevard (1917)
The construction of the embankment was undertaken by the Azerbaijani architect Gasymbek Hajibababekov (1811-1874). The ancient Maiden Tower - the symbol of Baku - then played the role of a lighthouse, and it is difficult to say whether this amazing monument would have survived to this day if not for this circumstance.
G. Hajibababekov carried out significant engineering and planning work on the improvement of the embankment, was involved in its construction and issues of supplying fresh water.
In 1867, according to his design, a water fountain (also visible in the watercolor by K. Gippius) and other structures were built on the future Azneft Square, a wide sidewalk lined with trees was planned, and between the plots of private property there were alleys 13 m wide. Through them from the embankment there were views of the expressive architecture of the Baku fortress - Icheri Sheher.
After this, the embankment received the status of a boulevard, which, according to contemporaries, became a decoration of the city. It must be said that the embankment was the object of close attention of the city authorities also because the governor’s house was located on it. In 1882, it was planned to build a boulevard on the embankment, designed by the architect A. Koshkin.
But despite all the efforts, the embankment still remained not the most attractive and comfortable part of the city, because it housed numerous private piers of trading firms and shipping companies with warehouses and other buildings that cluttered and polluted the seashore so much that even the activities carried out on it the improvement was reduced to nothing.
For example, the shipping company "Caucasus and Mercury" built a pier and a number of other structures on the embankment, dividing the coastal strip into two parts: Alexandrovskaya embankment (in honor of Emperor Alexander II) was located along Icheri-Sheher approximately from the future Azneft Square to the future Theater dolls, which, of course, did not exist then, and Petrovskaya, walking in an easterly direction further along coastline.
Therefore, in 1897, a barrier was built that separated a 50 m wide area from the sea, clearly marking the boulevard as an integral architectural structure.
In 1900, the city's Garden Commission decided to build a large nursery for ornamental trees on the embankment, and from that moment on, active landscaping of the boulevard began. A detailed landscaping project, taking into account the width of the alleys and their length, types of trees, shrubs, etc., was drawn up by civil engineer (architect) Kazimir Skurevich, a Pole in the Russian service, together with the city gardener Vasiliev.
In the first years of the twentieth century. The boulevard already had a rather attractive appearance, the embankment continued to be captivated by piers and berths. For turning the embankment into a beautiful one transport route, as well as a place of recreation and a city park, the mayors took over only in 1909, and this date is considered the official year of the “birth” of the Baku Boulevard. As the Caspian newspaper reported in issue No. 77 of 1909, “The Duma allocated 10 thousand rubles for the construction of a boulevard on the embankment.”
Embankment The talented engineer Mamed-Hasan Gadzhinsky took up the noble task of improvement; The German architect Adolf Eichler also took part. Projects were drawn up for large pavilions on the embankment in the Art Nouveau style under the loud names “Olympia” for the cinema and the Eldorado restaurant, fountains and gazebos, as well as stairs leading to the sea.
The boulevard did not yet turn out to be very long: the plans of the organizers very quickly collided with the interests of big capital - there were few people willing to sacrifice their docks, warehouses and marinas. Therefore, at first the coastal area was landscaped, located between the pier of the Caucasus and Mercury society and the house of Seid Mirbabaev, i.e. Alexandrovskaya embankment itself. No one dared to encroach on the interests of the Caucasus and Mercury society.
Subsequently, the amount of allocations was increased to 600 thousand rubles. Baku patrons also provided material support. The city authorities announced a competition for the best project, in which about thirty specialists took part, among whom were prominent architects and civil engineers. Territories were cleared, trees and shrubs were planted, and flower beds were laid out.
In addition, a competition was announced for the design of a bathhouse with a restaurant, as well as for thirteen kiosks for various purposes. The project of the civil engineer and at the same time the city (chief) architect of Baku Nikolai Bayev (1878-1949) won, and in 1914 the Alexander Bath was built. The wooden bathhouse on stilts, according to contemporaries, “attracted attention with its original architecture,” looked like a fairy tale summer palace, on the roof of which there was a comfortable solarium with a shower. This bathhouse completely transformed the appearance of the boulevard.
By the way, this bath is not the first. Before it there was another, also called Alexandrovskaya. It was built in 1884 according to the design of the civil engineer and city architect in 1881-1886, Mikhail Botov (1855-1886). The Botovskaya bathhouse was incomparably simpler in architecture, and it had fallen into disrepair over thirty years.
The Baevskaya bathhouse was demolished in the early 60s, due to the rise in water levels in the Caspian Sea and the partial reconstruction of the boulevard.
The embankment was a wide spatial composition; in combination with the boulevard, the greenery of numerous trees (which, by the way, were selected very thoughtfully - taking into account not only the survival rate, but also the shading they create, which modern landscape designers do not think about at all), this section of the city was very picturesque and represented the busiest part of it. It is no coincidence that contemporaries noticed that the most brilliant part of Baku is its embankment.
Panorama of the embankment from the square. Azneft. 1930 By the beginning of the 50s. the length of Primorsky Boulevard was already 2.7 km - from the ship repair plant. Paris Commune to the new passenger sea terminal. In the 60s, after the construction of a new seaport, the boulevard was extended (to Azadlig Square) in front of the Government House. At that time the square was named after Lenin. The author of the project was the architect M. Guseinov.
In 1966, according to the project of this architect, on Primorsky Boulevard, in the area of Azadlig Square, an area open to the sea was created, which ended with descents to the coastline, decorated with parterre greenery, flower beds and a cascade of fountains. In 1967, M. Guseinov prepared a new project for the reconstruction of the entire Primorsky Boulevard.
Due to a significant decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea, which reached its lowest level in 1977, as a result of which a wide strip of the former seabed was exposed, work was undertaken to create a second lower terrace of the Primorsky Park, where alleys, lawns and fountains were built.
At the same time, the boulevard grew in width: due to the drop in the level of the Caspian Sea, a wide, shallow strip was formed, above which its lower terrace was erected. But it soon became clear: the sea had not retreated forever.
The rise in the level of the Caspian coincided with the political and economic unrest of the 90s. The lower terrace of the boulevard - a walking overpass, as well as the boat pier and yacht club were flooded, trees began to die from the salt water, and in some places reeds even appeared. As a result of the reconstruction work, the lower terrace of the boulevard was raised by several meters.
Stretching for several kilometers, the Primorsky Boulevard has been a favorite place for many generations of Baku residents to relax, walk, and meet with friends. Its green spaces included such a wide range of flora that it was rightly called a national treasure.
Materials from Doctor of Historical Sciences Kamil Ibragimov were used. From the archives of the ECHO newspaper
The material is part of the "" series
*All photos and images belong to their respective owners. The logo is a measure against unauthorized use.Article by O. Bulanova about the history of the creation of Primorsky Boulevard in Baku
According to numerous polls, the majority of Baku residents believe that the face of the city is definitely Primorsky Boulevard. This is truly the sea facade of Baku, which for almost two centuries determined the face of the capital of Azerbaijan.
The history of Primorsky Boulevard, including the embankment, which bore different names over the years, is incredibly interesting. In 2009, the centenary of the boulevard was solemnly celebrated, but its history is much longer.
Conversations about the need for an embankment in Baku have been going on for a long time, various options were discussed.
According to the original version of the project, between the fortress wall that surrounded Icheri-Shekher from the sea and the buildings behind it, it was planned to lay a street of unprecedented width for that time - 18 m. On one side, the street would be limited by the fortress wall, on the other side by the rear facades of the buildings . With significant differences in elevation, the new street would not be able to play a significant role in the city and would be architecturally inexpressive.
Therefore, in 1865, the Baku military governor and manager of the civil part, Lieutenant General Mikhail Petrovich Kolyubakin, submitted a petition to demolish a section of the old fortress wall that separated Icheri Sheher from the sea coast and “with its uselessness impeded the free movement of air.” Permission was obtained and the wall was demolished.
However, after the demolition of the wall, the need for architectural design of the embankment immediately began to be felt. Therefore, the proceeds from the sale of the stone of the demolished wall (44 thousand rubles) were “used for the construction of a pier,” newspapers of those years wrote, “and an elegant stone embankment, which was soon decorated with a number of beautiful private houses.”
Baku owes its first improvement to the architect Karl Gustavovich Gippius, who, by the way, defended the Palace of the Shirvanshahs when they tried to adapt it as a city prison. K. Gippius participated in the formation of a number of streets and in the design of the first houses on the embankment. Connoisseurs and historians are well aware of his watercolor of 1867, which depicts the embankment and the houses on it, including the governor’s house (later it housed a medical workers’ club with an attached third floor, and now the Four Seasons Hotel stands on this site).
The remarkable Azerbaijani architect Gasymbek Hajibababekov (1811-1874) took on the construction of the embankment. The ancient Maiden Tower - the symbol of Baku - then played the role of a lighthouse, and it is difficult to say whether this amazing monument would have survived to this day if not for this circumstance. G. Hajibababekov carried out significant engineering and planning work on the improvement of the embankment, was involved in its construction and issues of supplying fresh water.
In 1867, according to his design, a water fountain (also visible in the watercolor by K. Gippius) and other structures were built on the future Azneft Square, a wide sidewalk lined with trees was planned, and between the plots of private property there were alleys 13 m wide. Through them from the embankment there were views of the expressive architecture of the Baku fortress - Icheri Sheher.
After this, the embankment received the status of a boulevard, which, according to contemporaries, became a decoration of the city. It must be said that the embankment was the object of close attention of the city authorities also because the governor’s house was located on it. In 1882, it was planned to build a boulevard on the embankment, designed by the architect A. Koshkin.
But despite all the efforts, the embankment still remained not the most attractive and comfortable part of the city, because it housed numerous private piers of trading firms and shipping companies with warehouses and other buildings that cluttered and polluted the seashore so much that even the activities carried out on it the improvement was reduced to nothing.
For example, the shipping company "Caucasus and Mercury" built a pier and a number of other structures on the embankment, dividing the coastline into two parts: Aleksandrovskaya embankment (in honor of Emperor Alexander II) was located along Icheri-Sheher approximately from the future Azneft Square to the future Theater dolls, which, of course, did not exist then, and Petrovskaya, walking in an easterly direction further along the coastline. Therefore, in 1897, a barrier was built that separated a 50 m wide area from the sea, clearly marking the boulevard as an integral architectural structure.
In 1900, the city's Garden Commission decided to build a large nursery for ornamental trees on the embankment, and from that moment on, active landscaping of the boulevard began. A detailed landscaping project, taking into account the width of the alleys and their length, types of trees, shrubs, etc., was drawn up by civil engineer (architect) Kazimir Skurevich, a Pole in the Russian service, together with the city gardener Vasiliev.
In the first years of the twentieth century. The boulevard already had a rather attractive appearance, the embankment continued to be captivated by piers and berths. The mayors began transforming the embankment into an excellent transport route, as well as into a place of recreation and a city park only in 1909, and this date is considered the official year of the “birth” of the Baku Boulevard. As the Caspian newspaper reported in issue No. 77 of 1909, “The Duma allocated 10 thousand rubles for the construction of a boulevard on the embankment.”
The talented engineer Mamed-Hasan Gadzhinsky (not to be confused with Isabek Gadzhinsky, the owner of the beautiful house to the right of the Maiden Tower) took up the noble task of improvement; The talented German architect Adolf Eichler also took part. Projects were drawn up for large pavilions on the embankment in the Art Nouveau style under the loud names “Olympia” for the cinema and the Eldorado restaurant, fountains and gazebos, as well as stairs leading to the sea.
The boulevard did not yet turn out to be very long: the plans of the organizers very quickly collided with the interests of big capital - there were few people willing to sacrifice their docks, warehouses and marinas. Therefore, at first the coastal area was landscaped, located between the pier of the Caucasus and Mercury society and the house of Seid Mirbabaev, i.e. Alexandrovskaya embankment itself. No one dared to encroach on the interests of the Caucasus and Mercury society.
Subsequently, the amount of allocations was increased to 600 thousand rubles. Baku patrons also provided material support. The city authorities announced a competition for the best project, in which about thirty specialists took part, among whom were prominent architects and civil engineers. Territories were cleared, trees and shrubs were planted, and flower beds were laid out.
In addition, a competition was announced for the design of a bathhouse with a restaurant, as well as for thirteen kiosks for various purposes. The project of the civil engineer and at the same time the city (chief) architect of Baku Nikolai Grigoryevich Bayev (1878-1949) won, and in 1914 the Alexander Bath was built. The wooden bathhouse on stilts, according to contemporaries, “attracted attention with its original architecture,” looked like a fairy-tale summer palace, on the roof of which there was a comfortable solarium with a shower. This bathhouse completely transformed the appearance of the boulevard.
By the way, this bath is not the first. Before it there was another, also called Alexandrovskaya. It was built in 1884 according to the design of the civil engineer and city architect in 1881-1886, Mikhail Dmitrievich Botov (1855-1886). The Botovskaya bathhouse was incomparably simpler in architecture, and it had fallen into disrepair over thirty years.
The Baevskaya bathhouse was demolished in the early 60s, due to the rise in water levels in the Caspian Sea and the partial reconstruction of the boulevard. Although old Baku residents still regret the lost beauty...
The embankment was a wide spatial composition; in combination with the boulevard, the greenery of numerous trees (which, by the way, were selected very thoughtfully - taking into account not only the survival rate, but also the shading they create, which modern landscape designers do not think about at all), this section of the city was very picturesque and represented the busiest part of it. It is no coincidence that contemporaries noticed that the most brilliant part of Baku is its embankment.
By the beginning of the 50s. the length of Primorsky Boulevard was already 2.7 km - from the ship repair plant. Paris Commune to the new passenger sea terminal. In the 60s, after the construction of a new seaport, the boulevard was extended to the current Azadlig Square in front of the Government House. At that time the square was named after Lenin. The author of the project was the architect M. Guseinov.
In 1966, according to the project of this architect, on Primorsky Boulevard, in the area of Azadlig Square, an area open to the sea was created, which ended with descents to the coastline, decorated with parterre greenery, flower beds and a cascade of fountains. In 1967, M. Guseinov prepared a new project for the reconstruction of the entire Primorsky Boulevard.
Due to a significant decrease in the level of the Caspian Sea, which reached its lowest level in 1977, as a result of which a wide strip of the former seabed was exposed, work was undertaken to create a second lower terrace of the Primorsky Park, where alleys, lawns and fountains were built.
At the same time, the boulevard grew in width: due to the drop in the level of the Caspian Sea, a wide, shallow strip was formed, above which its lower terrace was erected. But it soon became clear: the sea had not retreated forever. The rise in the level of the Caspian coincided with the political and economic unrest of the 90s. The lower terrace of the boulevard - a walking overpass, as well as the boat pier and yacht club were flooded, trees began to die from the salt water, and in some places reeds even appeared. As a result of the reconstruction work, the lower terrace of the boulevard was raised by several meters.
Stretching for several kilometers, the Primorsky Boulevard has been a favorite place for many generations of Baku residents to relax, walk, and meet with friends. Its green spaces included such a wide range of flora that it was rightly called a national treasure.
Today, the Baku embankment in its former form lives only in the memory of the older generation of Baku, but the Primorsky Boulevard, updated in the spirit of modern requirements, which, by the way, received the status of National Park, and will continue to remain the pride of the residents of the capital of Azerbaijan.
