Flame Towers

Three flame-shaped skyscrapers whose LED skins animate as burning fire at night.

They were built from 2007 to 2012 at a cost of about 350 million US dollars. The flame shape points to Azerbaijan's nickname, the Land of Fire. They are some of the best-known sights of the Baku skyline. The three towers are named South, East and West, and together they hold homes, a hotel and offices. The glowing walls can be seen from far-off points of the city.

Why flames?

Azerbaijan is called the Land of Fire because natural gas seeps out of the ground in places and can burn. In the old days, followers of Zoroastrianism, a very old religion, saw fire as a symbol of the divine and built fire temples such as the Ateshgah of Baku. The three towers, called South, East and West, remember that story with their curved flame shapes. The American firm HOK was the architect.

What is inside, and the light show

The towers hold about 130 apartments, a Fairmont hotel and office space. The outside is covered with LED screens, with more than 10,000 powerful lights, and they can be seen from far away. The display changes between giant flames, the colors of Azerbaijan's flag and a figure waving a flag. Each change takes roughly two minutes. The towers also appeared in advertisements for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, held in Baku.

On the globe

The model shows three flame-shaped towers whose LED skins turn into burning fire at night. Look for the three curved tops standing together.