Timeline of Baku

Prior to 20th century

12th century CE: Maiden Tower (Baku) built.

1169 - Lezgi Mosque built.

1378 - Juma Mosque built.

1442 - Palatial mosque of Palace of the Shirvanshahs built.

1509 - Persians in power.

1578 - Ottomans in power.

1603 - Persians in power again.

1723 - Town taken by Russians.

1732 - Oil refinery in operation.

1735 - Persians in power again.

1747 - Baku Khanate established.

1806 - Town taken by Russian forces.

1813 - Town becomes part of Russia per Gulistan Treaty.

1817 - Cholera outbreak.

1823 - Paraffin factory begins operating.

1832 - "First secular Russian school" opens.

1846 - Baku becomes part of the Shemakh province.

1859

Oil refineries begin operating on outskirts of town.

Town becomes capital of the newly established Baku Governorate.

1860 - Population: 13,381.

1868

Tbilisi-Baku telegraph begins operating.

Fountains Square constructed.

1875 - Ekinchi begins publication.

1878 - Iosif Dzahkerli becomes mayor.

1883 - Batum-Baku railway built.

1884

Baku Railway Station built.

Oil Extractors Congress Council established.

1886 - Population: 45,679.

1887

Baku Polytechnicum established.

Armenian Saint Gregory the Illuminator's Church, Baku built.

1897 - Population: 112,253.

20th century

1900 - Population: 179,133.

1901 - Synagogue built.

1902 - Baku International Sea Trade Port opens.

1903 - July: Labor strike.

1904

Balakhany and Bibi-Eibat Workers Organisation founded.

City hall built.

1905

Armenian–Tatar massacre.

Irshad newspaper begins publication.

1907 - Batumi-Baku oil pipeline constructed.

1909 - Baku Boulevard constructed.

1910 - Phenomenon cinema built.

1912 - Philharmonic Hall built.

1913

Ismailiyya building constructed.

Population: 237,000.

1914 - Taza Pir Mosque built.

1917 - Iranian communist Edalat Party founded in Baku.

1918

March Days inter-ethnic conflict.

September Days massacre of Armenians.

Baku becomes capital of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

1919

Baku State University founded.

Molodezh Azerbaijana newspaper begins publication.

1920

28 April: 11th Army (Soviet Union) takes city.

Baku becomes capital of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.

Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra and Baku Polytechnic Institute founded.

Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater active.

Kirov raion created.

1922

7 November: Avraamov's Symphony of Sirens performed.

State Drama Theatre opens.

1923

National Library of Azerbaijan opens on Torgovaya.

Baku Theatre Technical School founded.

1925 - Baku Workers' and Peasants Theatre opens.

1928 - Theatre of Young Spectators founded.

1931 - Baku Puppet Theatre established.

1939 - Population: 809,347 metro.

1940 - Baku Museum of Education founded.

1941 - Kishlinsky district created.

1945 - Azerbaijan State Institute for the Arts active.

1949 - Sumqayit developed near city.

1951 - Stalin Stadium opens.

1952 - Government House built.

1967

Baku Metro begins operating.

Azerbaijan Carpet Museum established.

1979 - Population: 1,046,000.

1989

Azadliq newspaper begins publication.

Baku Islamic Madrasa established.

1990

January: Baku pogrom of Armenians.

Sanan Alizade becomes mayor.

1991 - City becomes capital of Azerbaijan Republic.

1993 - Rafael Allahverdiyev becomes mayor.

1994

1994 Baku Metro bombings.

Azerbaijan State Pantomime Theatre founded.

1995 - October: 1995 Baku Metro fire.

21st century

2000 - 25 November: 2000 Baku earthquake.

2001 - Hajibala Abutalybov becomes mayor.

2005 - Center for Economic and Social Development established.

2006

Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline in operation.

State Maritime Administration (Azerbaijan) headquartered in city.

2008 - International Mugham Center of Azerbaijan opens.

2009 - Uzeyir Hajibeyov International Music Festival begins.

2010

National Flag Square opens in Bayil.

SOCAR Tower construction begins.

2012

Baku Crystal Hall built.

Heydar Aliyev Center opens.

May: Eurovision Song Contest 2012 held in city.

Population: 2,122,300.

2013 - Flame Towers built.

2015

Baku National Stadium opens.

June: 2015 European Games held in city.