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Flame Towers, Baku

The three glass Flame Towers rising behind historic buildings on Neftchilar Avenue, seen from the seafront square on a sunny day
Photo: Peter in s, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — you see the towers from outside; the park is open
Hours
Towers and park: outside any time; light show after sunset; funicular Tue–Sun, closed Mondays
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Light show
Every evening after sunset
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Funicular fare
1 AZN one way, cash
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Funicular hours
Tue–Sun, closed Mondays; 10:00–20:00 with a 13:00–14:00 break or 10:00–22:00 — sources differ
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Observation deck in the towers
None open to the public — use Highland Park
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Inside
Fairmont Baku hotel, apartments and offices
Time needed
About 1 hour with the park and Martyrs' Lane
Address
Mehdi Hüseyn Street, Baku
Coordinates
40.35972, 49.82611YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

182 mroof height of the tallest tower; the others are 165 m and 161 m
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, Flame Towers
10,000+LED luminaires on the facades that draw the flames
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaAudiala guide
3 towersa hotel, an apartment block and an office building
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
2007–2012construction; opened in 2013
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
HOKthe US architecture firm behind the design
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaAudiala guide
1960the funicular from the seafront opened — still the only one in Azerbaijan
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, Baku Funicular
455 mof track between Bahram Gur and Martyrs' Lane stations
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, Baku Funicular
20 January 1990victims of that night lie in Martyrs' Lane in the park
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, Martyrs' Lane
9 October 1998the Eternal Flame memorial was unveiled
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, Martyrs' Lane
Kirov Parkthe Soviet name of the hilltop park, with a Kirov statue removed after independence
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia, Martyrs' Lane

What time is the Flame Towers light show?

The show starts every evening once it gets dark and runs on a loop. More than 10,000 LED luminaires turn the glass into three giant screens: flickering flames, then the blue, red and green of the Azerbaijani flag, a figure waving a flag, and the towers "filling" with water. Each scene lasts about two minutes. There is no official end time; unofficial guides say it runs until around midnight.

Our plan: walk up to Highland Park half an hour before sunset, watch the bay in daylight, wait for the first flames, then walk down to the seafront. The show looks best from below, from the Boulevard, where you see all three towers burning at once.

Where is the best view of the Flame Towers?

For the towers themselves, step back: the Baku Boulevard promenade and the square on Neftchilar Avenue (Neftçilər) frame all three above the old stone buildings. From inside the Old City walls they rise over the rooftops. Bring a wide lens if you want them whole from closer up.

For the view from up there, go to Highland Park (Dağüstü park) at the towers' foot. The balustrade looks across the whole bay, the Boulevard, the port and the Maiden Tower. The towers are right behind you, almost too close for one frame.

What are the Flame Towers?

Three steel-and-glass skyscrapers, 182, 165 and 161 metres tall, built between 2007 and 2012 by the US firm HOK. Their shape is three tongues of fire — a nod to Azerbaijan's old nickname, the Land of Fire, and to the natural gas flames that have burned on the Absheron peninsula for centuries.

Is it worth it? As architecture you see them from almost everywhere in central Baku, so you don't need a special trip just to look. Going up to Highland Park is worth an hour for the bay panorama, Martyrs' Lane and the flames overhead at night. Skip the climb if you're short on time — the Boulevard gives you the classic shot for free.

What to see in Highland Park

  • The bay panorama from the balustrade — Boulevard, Old City, port and the Caspian.
  • Martyrs' Lane (Şəhidlər Xiyabanı) — the memorial cemetery for the victims of 20 January 1990 and of the Karabakh war. In Soviet times this was Kirov Park, built over an older cemetery.
  • The Eternal Flame — a domed memorial with a burning flame, unveiled on 9 October 1998.
  • The Martyrs' Mosque, built with Turkish support, and the memorial to Turkish soldiers who died in the 1918 Battle of Baku.
  • The funicular itself — a short 1960s-built ride with the bay below you.
  • The towers up close after dark, flames moving right above your head.

How to get to the Flame Towers

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on footdestinationStreet view

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On foot

More tips

  1. From İçərişəhər (Icherisheher) metro, walk through the Double Gates (Qoşa Qala) into the Old City or follow the outside of the wall down to Neftchilar Avenue.
  2. Follow the avenue to the lower funicular station, Bahram Gur, by the Bahram Gur statue — about 15 minutes on foot. The Carpet Museum is next to it.
  3. Ride the funicular up to Martyrs' Lane station: 3–4 minutes, 1 AZN, paid in cash. It does not run on Mondays — then take the stairs next to the station or a taxi.
  4. At the top you are in Highland Park: the viewing balustrade is right there, Martyrs' Lane and the Eternal Flame further in.
  5. The foot of the towers is about 10 minutes' walk through the park. A taxi from the Old City to Mehdi Hüseyn Street takes about 10 minutes.

Funicular, stairs or taxi?

Funicularyou are hereBahram Gur station, Neftchilar AvenueMartyrs' Lane station, Highland Park1 AZN, cash3–4 minutesClosed
StairsNeftchilar AvenueHighland ParkFreeA steep climbOpen
TaxiAnywhere centralThe foot of the towersApp fare≈ 10 minutes from the Old CityAvailable

Best combination: funicular up, stairs down — you land on the Boulevard just as the show gets going.

Paying in Baku as a foreign visitor

Bring a few small manat notes: the funicular is paid in cash. Visa and Mastercard work in hotels, most restaurants and malls, and in the Bolt and Uber apps, which are the easiest way to get a taxi up the hill. Street taxis usually want cash. For the metro you need a BakıKart, sold at station machines; contactless bank cards are being rolled out at the gates.

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Baku views compared

Every Baku place with a view that YesGo has scored. Tap a column header to sort.

Maiden Tower5245 min19 AZN for foreign visitors21 min walk
Flame Towers and Highland Parkyou are here431 hFree—
Baku Boulevard421 h 30 minFree16 min walk
Gobustan rock art and mud volcanoes193 h≈ 10–15 AZN, volcanoes extra46.7 km

Old City by day, Flame Towers by night

Old City and the Maiden Tower in daylight, the Carpet Museum late afternoon, funicular up to the towers for sunset and the Boulevard for the light show.

  1. Old City (Icherisheher)3 h · Free entry, museums from 10 ₼
  2. 3 min walk from the previous stopMaiden Tower45 min · 19 AZN for foreign visitors
  3. 12 min walk from the previous stopAzerbaijan Carpet Museum1 h 30 min · 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN
  4. 14 min walk from the previous stopFlame Towers and Highland Parkyou are here1 h · Free; funicular 1 AZN
  5. 16 min walk from the previous stopBaku Boulevard1 h 30 min · Free

5 places · about 8 h 30 min with walks · 45 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby and on your route

Azerbaijan Carpet Museum

Baku, Azerbaijan

1 h 30 min · 10 AZN for foreigners, students 3 AZN · 14 min walk

Baku Boulevard

Baku, Azerbaijan

1 h 30 min · Free · 16 min walk

Palace of the Shirvanshahs

Baku, Azerbaijan

1 h 15 min · 24 AZN for foreign visitors · 16 min walk

Old City (Icherisheher)

Baku, Azerbaijan

3 h · Free entry, museums from 10 ₼ · 18 min walk

How to do it right

  • Go up half an hour before sunset — the bay in daylight first, then the flames.
  • Walk down the stairs to the Boulevard: the show looks best from the seafront.
  • On Mondays the funicular is closed — take a Bolt to the top or climb the stairs.
  • For all three towers in one shot, shoot from the Boulevard or Neftchilar Avenue, not from the park.
  • Carry small cash for the funicular; card payment there isn't guaranteed.
  • Wind on the hill is strong outside summer — bring a jacket even on a sunny day.

Questions

Can you go inside the Flame Towers?

Not as a visitor attraction. The towers hold the Fairmont Baku hotel, apartments and offices; only hotel guests and restaurant diners with a booking go in.

Is there an observation deck at the Flame Towers?

No public one. The viewpoint is Highland Park at the towers' foot, free and open, with the whole bay in front of you.

What time does the Flame Towers light show start?

Every evening after sunset, on a loop of scenes about two minutes each. There's no official end time; unofficial guides say around midnight.

Where is the best place to see the Flame Towers at night?

Baku Boulevard and the square on Neftchilar Avenue, where all three towers fit in the frame. From Highland Park they are right above you.

How do I get to the Flame Towers?

Walk from Icherisheher metro to the Bahram Gur funicular station on Neftchilar Avenue, ride 3–4 minutes up to Martyrs' Lane, then 10 minutes through Highland Park. Or take a taxi.

How much is the Baku funicular?

1 AZN one way, paid in cash. It runs Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays.

Is it free to visit the Flame Towers?

Yes. The towers are seen from outside, and Highland Park and Martyrs' Lane are open to everyone for free.

How tall are the Flame Towers?

The tallest is 182 metres to the roof; the other two are 165 and 161 metres.

Are the Flame Towers worth it?

For an hour at sunset, yes — the bay view, Martyrs' Lane and the flames up close. Short on time? Watch the show from the Boulevard instead.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Flame Towers; Wikidata Q80499
  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Baku Funicular
  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Martyrs' Lane
  • Audiala guide: Flame Towers — light show and access
  • Travel in Baku and Tonkosti: Baku Funicular — fare and hours
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 02.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThe towers have no visitor website, and the funicular's own site did not load on 02.11.2026, so the fare and hours are marked "checking". The 1 AZN fare matches in every source. Hours differ: Wikipedia gives 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–20:00, travel guides 10:00–22:00; all agree it is closed on Mondays. Height: 182 m to the roof in both Wikipedias, 190 m in some guides — we show 182 m. Floor counts differ between the English and Russian Wikipedia, so we leave them out. Paid "observation deck" tickets in some listings are not confirmed by the hotel or any encyclopedia. The show's end time comes from one guide and is unofficial. Payment advice is from local guides and news on metro contactless gates.

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