National Flag Square

National Flag Square
President Ilham Aliyev visiting the square in 2018
National Flag Square is located in Baku, Azerbaijan
National Flag Square
Location within Baku
Native nameDövlət Bayrağı Meydanı (Azerbaijani)
TypeSquare
Maintained byMayoralty of Baku
Area60 hectares (150 acres)
LocationBaku, Azerbaijan
Coordinates40°20′39″N 49°50′42″E / 40.3443°N 49.8449°E / 40.3443; 49.8449

The National Flag Square (Azerbaijani: Dövlət Bayrağı Meydanı) is a large city square off Neftchiler Avenue in Bayil, Baku, Azerbaijan. The National Flag Square covers 60 hectares (150 acres) overall. The area of the upper part[further explanation needed] is 3 hectares (7.4 acres). The square features[further explanation needed] the state symbols of Azerbaijan—the coat of arms and the anthem—and a map of the country.[1]

History

The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation stone for the National Flag Square near the naval base in Baku's Bayil settlement on 30 December 2007.[2] The project was developed by the US firm Trident Support and executed by Azerbaijan's Azenko company.[3] The site was formerly occupied by hundreds of houses, with Human Rights Watch reporting that many of the residents were forcefully evicted, and often given just several hours notice before their homes were demolished. [4]

The National Flag Square was opened on 1 September 2010; president Aliyev attended the inauguration and raised the flag.[5][6] The following day the flag was ripped by strong winds and had to be taken down for repairs. [7]

Baku Boulevard was extended to the National Flag Square and the Baku Crystal Hall for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.[8]

A flag measuring 35 by 70 metres (115 by 230 feet) flew on a free–standing flagpole in the square, 162 m (531 ft) high. The flagpole was confirmed as the world's tallest flagpole by the Guinness Book of Records upon its inauguration on 9 November 2010, but was soon overtaken by the 165-metre Dushanbe Flagpole in Tajikistan on 24 May 2011.[9][3] The flagpole in the square was the third tallest flagpole in the world.

In 2017, after repeated incidents of flags being ripped by the wind, along with public complaints about the noise caused by the flag's waving, pollution caused by winds originating from the Caspian Sea and several risk assessments related to the base of the mast that could bring down the giant structure onto nearby streets or buildings near, the Azerbaijani government decided to dismantle and remove the flagpole. Reports emerged in February 2022 of plans to erect a new, taller and more modern flagpole on the site, with the new structure having a more secure and reinforced base so that it can withstand the speed of winds coming from the Caspian Sea.[10]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ Azerbaijani National Flag Square. Opening Ceremony.
  2. ^ "Azerbaijani flag flies on world's tallest flagpole". news.az. Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Azerbaijan: Baku welcomes the world's highest flag… and a strong wind". Globalvoicesonline. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  4. ^ ""Hər Şeyimi Əlimdən Aldılar"".
  5. ^ "Azerbaijan celebrates National Flag Day". today.az. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  6. ^ "Azerbaijan marks Day of National Flag for the first time". Ictimai TV. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  7. ^ "Azerbaijan to erect – again – the world's tallest flagpole | Eurasianet".
  8. ^ "National park to be extended until Eurovision song contest". news.az. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  9. ^ Abbasov, Rafael (29 May 2010). "Tallest unsupported flagpole". Guinness World Record. Archived from the original on 19 December 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Azerbaijan to erect – again – the world's tallest flagpole | Eurasianet".

External links

  • Speech of the President of Azerbaijan at the inaugurational ceremony
  • Azerbaijani National Flag Square. Opening Ceremony.
Records
Preceded by World's tallest flagpole
September 2010 - May 2011
Succeeded by
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