National Flag Square

National Flag Square

National Flag Square
Type	Square
Managed by	Mayoralty of Baku
Country	Azerbaijan
Region	Baku

National Flag Square (Azerbaijani: Dövlət Bayrağı Meydanı) is a large city square by Neftchiler Avenue in Bayil, Baku, Azerbaijan. Confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records, the flag flies on a pole 162 meters high and measures 70 by 35 meters which was the world's tallest flag, until it was overtaken by the 165 meter flagpole of Dushanbe, Tajikistan ^[1][2]

The upper part of the square embraces three hectares and overall the square covers 60 hectares. The square features the state symbols of Azerbaijan (the coat of arms and the anthem) and the map of the country.^[3]

History

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation stone for National Flag Square near the naval base in Baku's Bayil settlement on 30 December 2007.^[4] The project was developed by the US firm, Trident Support, and executed by Azerbaijan’s Azenko company.^[2]

The opening of the National Flag Square took place on 1 September 2010. At the President's initiative, the National Flag Museum was also established and 9 November was declared the National Flag Day.^[5][6]

In 2011, it was announced that Baku Boulevard will be extended to the to the National Flag Square before the beginning of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.^[7]

Damage

The original flag suffered almost immediate damage due to the strong prevailing winds, splitting it into two. When it was replaced with another flag, it too also ripped into two, the winds wreaking even greater damage against this one than the first.^[2]

Gallery

• 

  Flag pole

See also

• Baku Boulevard
• Architecture in Baku
• Martyrs' Lane

References

1. ^ Abbasov, Rafael (May 29, 2010). "Tallest unsupported flagpole". Guinness World Record. http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/Search/Details/Tallest-unsupported-flagpole/49757.htm. Retrieved May 29, 2010. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Azerbaijan: Baku welcomes the world's highest flag… and a strong wind". Globalvoicesonline. http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/09/07/azerbaijan-baku-welcomes-the-worlds-highest-flag-and-a-strong-wind/. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
3. ^ Azerbaijani National Flag Square. Opening Ceremony.
4. ^ "Azerbaijani flag flies on world's tallest flagpole". news.az. http://www.news.az/articles/society/22041. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
5. ^ "Azerbaijan celebrates National Flag Day". today.az. http://www.today.az/news/society/76346.html. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
6. ^ "Azerbaijan marks Day of National Flag for the first time". Ictimai TV. http://en.itv.az/news/1768.html. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
7. ^ "National park to be extended until Eurovision song contest". news.az. http://news.az/articles/eurovision/40857. Retrieved 22 July 2011. 

External links

• Speech of the President of Azerbaijan at the inaugurational ceremony
• Azerbaijani National Flag Square. Opening Ceremony.

Coordinates: 40°20′39″N 49°50′41″E / 40.34417°N 49.84472°E / 40.34417; 49.84472 (National Flag Square Flagpole)