A Monumental Task: Inscribing Nizami into the Built Landscape of Azerbaijan’s Capital City

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Abstract

The placement of monuments is one of the many ways in which Soviet rule transformed urban spaces. In Baku, Azerbaijan, the construction of a monument to 12th-century poet Nizami Ganjevi at the center of the city was an enduring physical manifestation of the otherwise ephemeral activities marking Nizami’s 800th jubilee. At the time of its installation, the 15-meter high monument, comprising a statue of the poet atop a base decorated with scenes drawn from his oeuvre, was at the same time a reflection of Soviet aesthetics and an assertion of Azerbaijani national identity. As such, it made an easy transition to the post-Soviet era, remaining a foundational model for nationalist displays in today’s Azerbaijan. This paper traces the pre-war planning and discussion surrounding the monument’s design, the post-war environment in which it was erected, and its stylistic relevance today.

Author

• Isabelle Kaplan, Howard U