Baku Olympic Stadium

Baku Olympic Stadium can be considered as the jewel in the crown of Azerbaijan's sporting infrastructure.

The 68,700-seater venue has been built to meet the highest standards of both UEFA and World Athletics.

Preliminary work on the design of the stadium began in 2008 and construction was carried out by SOCAR after ground was broken in 2011.

The stadium was completed in 2015 in time to be the focal venue of the inaugural edition of the European Games, held in Baku.

As well as hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the stadium also staged athletics.

Since then, the venue has become the home of the Azerbaijan national football team and it staged four matches during UEFA Euro 2020.

This included three group games and the quarter-final between Czech Republic and Denmark.

At club level, the stadium hosted the 2019 UEFA Europa League final between London clubs Chelsea and Arsenal, which the former won 4-1.

It also staged Ceremonies and athletics at the Islamic Solidarity Games hosted by Baku in 2017.

Other events held there include concerts, corporate events, conferences, seminars and weddings.

As well as the playing area, the six-storey high stadium also features hotels, parking and green space.

It has been designed as a perfect circle.

The $640 million venue has views over Lake Boyukshor and has been designed with youth in mind, with the latest mobile technology, big screens and a perfect view from every seat promised.

When work began in 2011, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev placed a metal capsule inside a football which was dropped into the foundations by his son Heydar.

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Baku City Circuit

The Baku City Circuit is a street motor racing track which has become home to Formula One's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

It first held the European Grand Prix in 2016 before staging the Azerbaijan race every year since, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hermann Tilke designed the six-kilometre track which is one of the longest in F1 and features 20 turns.

The circuit makes its way through some of the most beautiful parts of historic Baku, including the Icheri Sheher old town which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It features wide and open sections and also tight twists, with a key feature the long straight along Baku's Caspian Sea shoreline.

Starting next to Azadliq Square, the course then passes Government House before taking in the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and Maiden Tower.

After circling the old town it heads down Neftchilar Avenue and back to the start line.

The Absheron Grandstand at the end of the main straight is a great place to watch the action, with most of the overtaking expected on this section.

Elsewhere, the Icheri Sheher Grandstand allows fans to watch the cars navigate the turns of the old town section.

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National Gymnastics Arena

The National Gymnastics Arena in Baku opened in 2014 in time for the city's hosting of the European Games in 2015.

Work began in 2009 with the arena having space for 9,000 fans.

However, the venue can scale back to 5,000 seats depending on the size of the event which is being held and how large the field of play is.

As well as the main hall, the arena features dining rooms, gyms, auditoriums and a cafeteria for athletes. 

Broadway Malyan and sport specialist BDP Pattern designed the arena which has an exterior designed to reflect the ribbons used by rhythmic gymnasts.

Strobe lighting is used to make the building look like it is "fluttering".

As well as the European Games, the arena was also used at the Islamic Solidarity Games held in Baku in 2017.

It has also held the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in 2019, the Trampoline Gymnastics World Championships in 2021 and the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships in 2022.

The arena is scheduled to hold the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships again in 2027.

In a demonstration of how versatile the venue is, the arena additionally staged the 2018 World Judo Championships.

Concerts and exhibitions are also held here.

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Baku Crystal Hall

Baku Crystal Hall is a multi-purpose arena which is another key string in Azerbaijan's sporting bow.

It was built to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012 and has 12,000 seats for fans.

The arena, which has a crystalline shape, can also host 27,000 for some events when standing room is considered.

German company GMP was the main designer of the complex and Swiss firm Nussli International AG was the main designer of the arena.

The facade of the Crystal Hall features a number of LED lights which can create numerous different effects and be lit up in different colours.

At the 205 European Games in Baku, the venue hosted five sports - volleyball, boxing, fencing, karate and taekwondo.

It hosted volleyball and boxing at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games.

The 2023 World Taekwondo Championships and the 2014 World Esports Championships were both held at the venue.

It is also a popular destination for concerts.

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Heydar Aliyev Arena

The Heydar Aliyev Arena is a major indoor sporting venue in Baku.

Work on the building started in 1976 and it opened in 1990, before being renovated before the 2015 European Games where it hosted judo and wrestling.

The arena has capacity for 8,000 people and features a distinctive outside design with a sharp jagged top.

When the building was renovated the lighting was completely replaced, big screens were installed and a new acoustic system put in.

The venue hosted judo and wrestling again at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games and has staged a number of World Championships.

This includes rhythmic gymnastics in 2005, wrestling in 2007 and men's boxing in 2011.

Named after former President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, the arena was designed by Yuzef Kadymov.

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Aquatics Palace

The Aquatics Palace in Baku is a world-class swimming and diving facility that meets the standards of World Aquatics.

It features an Olympic-size 50 metres pool and a full diving tower and pool.

There is also a training pool and space for more than 6,000 fans to watch the action.

Securo were the architects for the Palace which opened in 2015 in time for that year's European Games.

The building has a big sloping roof and also includes fitness rooms, a restaurant, a conference room, offices and other utility rooms.

As well as the European Games, it also staged competition at the Islamic Solidarity Games in 2017.