Eurovision Song Contest 2012 - Baku, Azerbaijan

The semi-finals and finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 will be held in the city of Baku, capital of Azerbaijan in the month of May. Baku hotels will be filled with contestants and other participants in the event and the city is looking forward to the economic gains as well as the publicity which the contest will generate for the city. For ex-pats such as myself, it may come as a surprise that the event is in its 57th year and has been the most popular televised event in Europe for over 5 decades.

Baku’s Long Defence

The oldest part of Baku is well defended. Protection from invaders was once provided by the city’s 12th-century defensive walls. However, the best defence of the city today comes from its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is this that protects the defensive fortifications, which have been well preserved as a result.