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Baku, the capital if Azerbaijan, is the largest low-lying national capital city in the world at 28 meters (92 feet) below sea level. Baku is divided into 12 administrative districts and 48 townships including the old section of the city that is the site of the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower that became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. This is a downtown view of the city.
The Maiden Tower in Baku, Azerbaijan was built sometime between A.D. 800 and 1200, while the higher parts and the addition jutting out from the tower were built in around the 12th century. Standing 29 m tall (96 ft) the tower probably served as a Zoroastrian fire temple before becoming a fortification in the 12th century. The Maiden Tower houses a museum showing the history of Baku. The Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of a group of monuments, is a national emblem for Azerbaijan and appears on the country’s currency.