The Hidden Story of “Baku” – A Norwegian Bus Stop Named After Azerbaijan’s Capital
The Hidden Story of “Baku” – A Norwegian Bus Stop Named After Azerbaijan’s Capital
In the small coastal town of Nærsnes, in Asker Municipality, near Oslo, there is a quiet bus stop with an extraordinary name: BAKU.
Few people know that this little stop on bus route 250 carries with it a story that connects Norway and Azerbaijan, dating back nearly a century, a story of oil, industry, and cultural ties that transcended borders long before globalization became a word.
A Name Born from History
The name Baku first appeared in the 1930s–1950s, when the Norwegian company AS Bakubensin, owned by brothers Hartvig and Alf Monrad Petersen, established an oil import facility at Nærsnes.
At that time, oil shipments from Baku, Azerbaijan, were being imported to Norway through this very site — an important logistical hub serving the entire Østlandet region. The oil tanks were marked BAKU, and soon, locals began referring to the area — and eventually, the bus stop — by the same name.
Photo credit: Emre Köktaş
A Forgotten Connection Rediscovered
The story came to light when Shervin Najafpour, Chairwoman of CAN – The Cultural Bridge Building Organization, discovered the “Baku” bus stop and began researching its origins. With support from local historians Rune Hartvig Pettersen and Arne Murvang, she and Azertac correspondent Nargiz Jafarli uncovered forgotten archives, photos, and documents linking Nærsnes directly to Baku’s oil fields.
During her visit, Shervin brought a Karabakh carpet by Azerbaijani artist Elnara Rasulova and brewed traditional Azerbaijani tea — marking the place as a living symbol of shared heritage and friendship.
Photo credit: Thomas Rud
Featured in the Press: Rediscovering Baku in Norway
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