巴庫位于里海西岸阿普歇倫半島南部,是一個港口城市,也是外高加索地區(qū)第一大城市和交通樞紐。作為阿塞拜疆共和國的首都,巴庫是該國的政治、經(jīng)濟和文化中心,因境內(nèi)坐落著巴庫油田,也被稱為“石油城”。
這座立于亞歐分界線的城市,其歷史可以追溯到公元8世紀,但考古發(fā)現(xiàn)表明早在公元8世紀以前,巴庫就有人類居住的痕跡。漫長歲月中,歐亞文化不斷在這里碰撞并相互融合,波斯、希臘、羅馬、阿拉伯、突厥和近代歐洲文明在這片土地上潮起潮落,從而造就了巴庫獨一無二的風土人情。
從高處俯瞰,這座規(guī)模宏大、錯落有致的城市,像一座半圓形劇場沿巴庫灣擴展開來。巴庫分為內(nèi)城和新城兩個部分,2000年,巴庫內(nèi)城與巴庫城墻、希爾凡王宮、少女塔,一并被聯(lián)合國教科文組織列入世界文化遺產(chǎn)名錄。
巴庫內(nèi)城被古老的城墻環(huán)繞,擁有迷宮般的狹窄巷道和古老的建筑,景致如畫,古韻悠長。
在巴庫內(nèi)城最高的山丘之上,散布著著名的希爾凡宮建筑群。整個建筑群依山勢而建,上下分為三個部分,希爾凡王宮建在最高層,始建于15世紀。由于建筑精美、風格獨特、用料講究,希爾凡王宮被稱作是阿塞拜疆古建筑的典范之作。宮殿的墻用不同大小的石頭壘成,每塊石材都被打磨得極為精致,石頭彼此精巧連接,以至于看不出壘砌的縫隙。
在巴庫內(nèi)城中心,里海海濱,靜靜地矗立著一座名為少女塔的建筑。它不僅是巴庫城的象征,更是承載著無數(shù)歷史變遷與浪漫傳說的古老見證。少女塔的具體修建年代和修建者至今仍是一個謎,在歷經(jīng)無數(shù)風雨與修繕后,目前塔高28米,距離里海不到100米。登臨少女塔,可以看到石油工人大街、巴庫灣和巴庫內(nèi)城全貌。1304年,巴庫曾發(fā)生特大地震,許多民居被夷為平地,而少女塔卻安然無恙。如今,這座曾經(jīng)的防御性堡壘,已經(jīng)成為旅游觀光地。很多當?shù)氐纳倥奂谏倥鲁杼瑁齺碛慰婉v足欣賞。
漫步在巴庫內(nèi)城,能看到不少老舊的石磚建筑與新建的現(xiàn)代樓體并存,古老與現(xiàn)代交織、傳統(tǒng)與創(chuàng)新交融的畫面,令人印象深刻。而在新城,則是另一番風景。新城位于內(nèi)城之南,因石油工業(yè)的發(fā)展而興起。
隨著里海石油的大規(guī)??碧介_發(fā),巴庫的城市面貌煥然一新,逐漸建設(shè)成為高樓林立、綠樹成蔭的現(xiàn)代化城市。黑達爾·阿利耶夫文化中心是現(xiàn)代巴庫的地標之一。它由世界著名建筑師扎哈·哈迪德設(shè)計,運用了大量層層跌宕起伏和彎曲變化的柔美線條,其設(shè)計如行云流水、似天馬行空,難以用具體的物體來比擬。扎哈·哈迪德以浪漫、大膽前衛(wèi)的設(shè)計理念贏得了倫敦設(shè)計博物館“年度設(shè)計大獎”,她還是北京大興機場、廣州歌劇院等中國知名建筑的設(shè)計師。此外,火焰塔、月亮灣酒店、Daniz商場等眾多造型獨特而張揚的標志性建筑,也為巴庫這座城市增添了更多活力與生機。
編輯/郭曉娟
Pearl of the Caspian Sea — Baku
As the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Baku is the political, economic and cultural center of the country, and also known as the “Oil City” because of the Baku Oilfield there.
According to archaeological findings, before the eighth century, there were traces of human habitation in Baku. Over the long years, European and Asian cultures have continued to collide and integrate with each other; Persian, Greek, Roman, Arabic, Turkic and modern European civilizations have ebbed and flowed on this land, thereby bringing the unique customs and practices of Baku.
Viewed from above, this grand, well-proportioned city looks like a semicircular theatre spreading out along the Bay of Baku. Baku is divided into the Inner City (Icheri Sheher) and the New Town. In 2000, the Inner City, together with the City Walls of Baku, the Shirvanshah’s Palace, and the Maiden Tower, was inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Strolling in the Inner City, you could see the coexistence of many old masonry buildings and new modern buildings. It is impressive to see the intertwining of antiquity and modernity, and the coexistence of tradition and innovation. However, the New Town presents another scene. Situated on the south of the Inner City, the New Town emerged due to the development of the oil industry. With the large-scale exploration and development of Caspian oil, Baku has taken on a new look, and has been gradually built into a modern city characterized by high rises and green trees. Numerous uniquely and flamboyantly shaped landmark buildings, e.g. Heyder Aliyev Cultural Center, Flame Towers, Moon Bay Hotel, and Daniz Mall, have added vitality to Baku.