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Government House (Dom Soviet)

Places in Baku · Twentieth-century architecture

Government House (Dom Soviet)

Nasimi, Baku, Azerbaijan

Marco Monelli · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized; cropped for display

Government House is a large mid-twentieth-century administrative building facing towards the sea. Its towers, arches and broad composition mark a different period from Baku's oil-boom mansions.

The building houses official functions, so plan to view it from public areas outside. Compare its scale with the surrounding streets and the open space towards the waterfront.

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Government House represents a different chapter of Baku's architecture from the oil-boom mansions. This large administrative building dates from the mid-twentieth century. Its towers, arches and broad composition face towards the sea.

Scale is a big part of its effect. From too close, individual details can hide the overall arrangement. A more distant public viewpoint makes the symmetry easier to see, along with the relationship between the building, the surrounding streets and the open space towards the waterfront. Government House continues to serve official functions. Plan an exterior view rather than assuming there is public access inside, and let the whole facade be the main subject.

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