The Chemist Cultural Palace — officially named after the composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov — is one of the finest examples of Soviet monumental architecture in Azerbaijan. Built in the 1960s to serve the workers of the chemical industry, the palace was designed with the heroic ambition typical of that era: a grand colonnaded facade, a large auditorium, and enough space for every conceivable cultural activity from ballet to amateur radio clubs.
The building has been refurbished and still functions as a cultural centre hosting concerts, theatre performances, and community events. The exterior is worth seeing even if nothing is on — the combination of Soviet grandeur and subtropical vegetation that has grown up around it is distinctly Azerbaijani.