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Committee says Azerbaijan has undergone fundamental shift in city planning

Ilgar Isbatov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture

24 December 2025 13:07 (UTC +04:00)

The Presidential Order on declaring 2026 the “Year of Urban Planning and Architecture” in Azerbaijan is based on deep historical roots, Ilgar Isbatov, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture, told journalists, APA-Economics reports.

He noted that Azerbaijan is a country that has made great contributions to the world in both urban planning and architecture:

“Our country is home to monuments included in the World Heritage List, such as Icherisheher, the Maiden Tower, and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs. The city of Sheki has also already been added to that list. Azerbaijan is one of the regions where urban planning and architectural art have emerged and developed since ancient times. Ancient architectural schools existed here, and this tradition has been successfully continued in subsequent historical periods.

In particular, during the years when Heydar Aliyev led Azerbaijan, decisive changes were made in this field in line with the requirements of the modern era, and the process was carried out systematically. A fundamental transformation was achieved in the planning of our cities and villages. To ensure the continuity and consistency of this work, institutional frameworks were established.”

Ashraf Mehdiyev

Azerbaijan Year of Urban Planning and Architecture 2026 Presidential Decree State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Ilgar Isbatov urban planning architecture cultural heritage World Heritage sites Icherisheher Maiden Tower Shirvanshahs’ Palace Sheki Heydar Aliyev