CNN
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Maiden Tower —
Dinara Holmes of Silver Springs, Maryland took this image of Maiden Tower in Baku's Walled City in 2008. The ancient structure has become an integral part of Baku's "mystique" and "legend," she says.
![An array of colours caught iReporter David Garcia's eye in one of Baku's outdoor food markets in 2008. "The contrast of neatly displayed goods against the drab market was [typically] Azeri," he says.](https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/111118121255-azerbaijan-ireport-1.jpg?q=w_2048,h_1365,x_0,y_0,c_fill/h_447)
Baku market —
An array of colours caught iReporter David Garcia's eye in one of Baku's outdoor food markets in 2008. "The contrast of neatly displayed goods against the drab market was [typically] Azeri," he says.

Stunning countryside —
A peaceful image of Lahic, a small Tat speaking village in the Ismayilli Rayon region of northern Azerbaijan. The "mountain view was just beautiful," says iReporter Ida H?ltzel.

Caspian mud pot —
The mud volcanoes that can be found in the foothills overlooking the Caspian Sea, near Baku. "They bubble like a boiling pot of mud (and) they are not hot," says iReporter David Garcia.

Qobustan rocks —
Ida H?ltzel took this photo on a giant rock that "looks like a panther or a dog" in Qobustan, near Baku. The perch gave a "great view" of the surrounding countryside, she says.

Mysterious Baku —
A view beyond Baku's picturesque Walled City and ultra modern skyscrapers. David Garcia took this photo of the city's old style Soviet era appartment blocks.

Ages of Azerbaijan —
This image -- with the bust of a former army General in the foreground, the minaret of an old mosque and the construction of a new skyscraper in the background -- captures the contrasting ages of Azerbaijan, says Ida H?ltzel.