Heydar Aliyev Center — Baku's Zaha Hadid Landmark

What you are actually looking at

The Heydar Aliyev Center is a working cultural centre rather than a monument: an auditorium, gallery halls and a museum under one continuous white surface. Zaha Hadid designed it, it opened in 2012, and in 2014 it won the London Design Museum's Design of the Year award.

What photographs never quite convey is that it has no obvious front. The roof folds down into the plaza and lifts again, so there are no corners to stand on and no single facade to shoot — you walk around it and it keeps changing shape.

What to see

• The building itself — the reason most people come. White panels are laid over a steel frame so that the joints run with the curve rather than cut across it, which is what makes the surface look poured rather than assembled.
• The plaza and the park — open, free to walk, and where the building reads best. The long low angles are all from here.
• The galleries — inside, the same curves continue as a white interior around a sweeping staircase, with rotating exhibitions alongside displays of Azerbaijani craft.
• The auditorium — a working concert and conference hall, so parts of the building can be closed for events.

Planning your visit

The centre stands east of the middle of town on Heydar Aliyev Avenue, well away from the Old City cluster, so it pairs naturally with the Absheron side of Baku rather than being squeezed into an Icherisheher walk. Allow about an hour for the building and the plaza, longer if you go inside. Our Heydar Aliyev Center, Ramana, Balakhani & Yanardag tour takes it together with the painted village of Balakhani and the burning hillside at Yanardag.

Tickets and opening times

The plaza is open and free to walk; entry to the galleries is ticketed at the door. Opening times shift with the season and with events in the auditorium, so check current listings before you go.

Accessibility

Unusually for a landmark in Baku, this one is easy underfoot: the plaza is a continuous ramped surface rather than a flight of steps, and the approach from the road is level.

Photography

Flat midday light flattens white curves and the shape disappears. Late afternoon and blue hour are when the folds show. From the plaza the low wide angle is the classic frame; from the park side you get the whole silhouette against the sky.

Nearby

This is the modern half of Baku rather than the historic one — for the other half, see the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs in the walled Old City. Our things to do in Baku guide sets out how the two sides fit into a stay.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed the Heydar Aliyev Center?

Zaha Hadid. It opened in 2012 and is among the most celebrated of her completed buildings; in 2014 it won the London Design Museum's Design of the Year award.

Can you go inside the Heydar Aliyev Center?

Yes. The plaza is free to walk and the galleries are ticketed at the door. The auditorium is a working venue, so parts can be closed for events.

How long do you need there?

About an hour for the building and the plaza, which is what most people come for. Add an hour or more if you are going into the exhibitions.

Is it near the Old City?

No — it is east of the centre on Heydar Aliyev Avenue, a drive rather than a walk from Icherisheher, which is why it is usually seen with the Absheron sights rather than on an Old City walk.

Want to see it with a guide? Browse our Baku tours — small groups, local guides and instant booking.