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The Baku Crystal Hall
With an overall capacity of 25 thousand seats, the Baku Crystal Hall athletic and concert arena was designed to host large-
scale international sports and public events. Decision to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 at the Baku Crystal Hall
was passed by the European Broadcasting Union on January 25, 2012.
The ESC 2012 was the maiden performance for the fresh-built arena. The Baku Crystal Hall comprises the Show
Desk for the Heads of Delegations participating in the event, rehearsal rooms, monitors and international telephone
communication lines together with commentators’ rooms for each country involved, make-up arrangements and
dressing rooms. A 24 hours ambulance service was available during the whole period of the Contest together with the
Accreditation Center for local and foreign media representatives and catering service.
Mr.IlhamAliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, together with the country’s First Lady Mrs.Mehriban Aliyeva
checked ongoing preparation to the show in the course of the Crystal Hall’s Opening Ceremony on May 7, 2012.
Design and construction of the Baku Crystal Hall was provided by the German Alpine Bau Deuchland AG and Swiss Nussi
International AG companies. A noteworthy detail is that the whole arena with cutting-edge LED façade was erected from
scratch within 8 months only. A very unique location is one of the arena’s major advantages. Placed in a once neglected
section of the coastline, the Baku Crystal Hall with its state-of-the-art design provides a breathtaking panorama of the
Caspian Sea and the rapidly changing modern image of Baku. This is something really worthwhile taking a view!