# National Flag Square

The State Flag Square (Azerbaijani: Dövlət Bayrağı Meydanı) is a large city square off Neftchiler Avenue in Bayil, Baku, Azerbaijan. The State Flag Square covers 60 hectares (150 acres) overall. The area of the upper part is 3 hectares (7.4 acres). The square features the state symbols of Azerbaijan—the coat of arms and the anthem—and a map of the country. The largest flag in the world is flown at this Square since 2024.

## History

The decree on the establishment of the State Flag Square in Baku was signed on November 17, 2007. At the same time, a decree was signed on the establishment of the State Flag Day. Every year, November 9 is celebrated as the State Flag Day in Azerbaijan. The foundation of the state flag Square was laid in December 2007, 30 in Bayil settlement of Baku-near the base of the Navy with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev. In October 2009, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order on "additional measures to accelerate construction and installation and improvement of the State flag Square in Baku". From the presidential reserve fund provided for in the state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2009 to accelerate construction, installation and improvement works in the square, Baku City Executive Power received 10 million dollars. additional funds were allocated in Manats.
The location chosen for the square allows the state flag to be seen from different points of the capital. The implementation of the project developed by the US company "Trident Support" was carried out by the Azerbaijani company "Azenko". The entire infrastructure has been created on the square with a total area of 60 hectares and an upper part of 31 thousand square meters. The construction works carried out on the basis of a special project were carried out by foreign and local specialists. The coat of arms of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the text of the state anthem and the map of Azerbaijan built on the square are made of bronze dipped in golden water. The State Flag Museum was also established in the square.

## First flagpole (2010–2017)

In the square with an area of 20000 m2, the height of the support erected from 2010 to 2017 was 162 meters, the diameter of the foundation was 3.2 meters, the diameter of the top of the foundation was 1.09 meters. The total mass of the installation was 220 tons. The width of the flag was 35 meters, the length was 70 meters, the total area was 2450 square meters, and the mass was about 350 kilograms. On 29 May 2010, the Guinness World Records organization confirmed that the flagpole of the state flag of Azerbaijan was the tallest flagpole in the world.

## Reconstruction and restoration works

In 2017, the State Flag Square and the State Flag Museum was closed for repairs due to the reconstruction and restoration works carried out in the State Flag Square. In 2021, the Turkish company Çimtaş started to prepare a new flagpole for Azerbaijan. From May 2024, the installation of the world's highest flagpole platform began in Baku.

## Actual flagpole (2021–present)

The total height of the mast is 192 meters. The mast consists of nine steel conical tube segments with a diameter of 5.7 m to 2 m, weighing between 13 and 270 tons, and a rotating segment located above. As of August 2024, the installation was completed, and a small flag was flown for the first time for testing purposes. It was planned to repeat the test process several times until the reopening of the square that was scheduled for November 8, 2024, Azerbaijan's Victory Day over Armenia. On September 28, 2024, the first big flag was raised for the first time, and the last time the testing flag was raised was on 6 November. On this same day, the 36 m x 72 m (2.564,02 m$^2$ or 27,598 ft$^2$) state flag which would be raised by President Ilham Aliyev was ratified by the Guinness Book as the largest flag ever raised and also the heaviest with a weight that exceeds 500 kg when fully opened.

## State Flag Museum

The museum was built by the relevant Decree of the President of Azerbaijan and was established on September 1, 2010, in the State Flag Square, where a ceremonial opening ceremony was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The museum, created in the shape of an eight-pointed star at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, is located under the pedestal of the flagpole in the State Flag Square. The "Victory Gallery" exhibition dedicated to the 44-day Patriotic War is on display in the State Flag Museum. In the gallery, photos of the military parade on the third anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War in the city of Khankendi and the raising of the State Flag in the territories freed from occupation by Commander-in-Chief Muzaffar are displayed. The museum consists of 6 exhibition halls: Flags, flagpoles, power symbols, coins, weapons, coats of arms of the 19th century Azerbaijani cities are displayed in the exhibition hall. B Exhibition hall covers the period of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and Azerbaijan SSR. Here, the State flag hung in the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on December 7, 1918, photographs, banknotes, postage stamps of that period, as well as flags and coats of arms of the Azerbaijan USSR, constitutions adopted in different years, banknotes and postage stamps are displayed. is being C The exhibition hall covers the period of independence. Commemorative medals and postage stamps dedicated to the national leader Heydar Aliyev, the standard of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, orders and medals of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Constitution of the Independent Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as orders and medals dedicated to the Patriotic War, the State flag planted on the highest peaks of the world are displayed here. In this hall, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated November 17, 2007 "On the establishment of the State Flag Square in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan", the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated November 17, 2009 "On the establishment of the State Flag Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan", Heydar Aliyev A stand containing the decision of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, held under the chairmanship of November 17, 1990, was placed. Flags, medals, emblems and chevrons of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan are displayed in the exhibition hall. Ceremonial uniforms of military personnel of the Republic of Azerbaijan are displayed in sectors E and F. In addition, the monitors in the museum show videos dedicated to the ancient and Middle Ages of Azerbaijan, the period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Azerbaijan SSR, the services of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev in the history of the statehood of Azerbaijan, the creation of the army of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and the historical victory in the Patriotic War with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.