How $100,000,000,000,000 mega-project went from insane urban dream to eerily abandoned land

In 2011, construction started on a grand spectacle of engineering that would cost a jaw-dropping $100 billion to complete.

Today, however, the ambitious architectural venture sits largely abandoned.

The Khazar Islands, also known as the Caspian Islands, were supposed to put Azerbaijan firmly on the map when it comes to incredible feats of engineering.

They would consist of 55 artificial islands interconnected by more than 150 bridges, 25 km (16 miles) south of Baku, Azerbaijan.

The 7,400 acres of land aimed to house 1 millions residents in a development with 150 schools, 50 hospitals, daycare centers, parks, shopping malls, cultural centers and a university campus.

It would even house a Formula 1 quality racetrack that would curve around the centerpiece $2 billion Azerbaijan Tower, which developers wanted to become the tallest building in the world.

13 years after construction on the $100 billion Khazar Islands began, they now lie abandoned (YouTube/MegaBuilds)

Launched by Azerbaijani businessman Ibrahim Ibrahimov in 2010, the Khazar Islands were designed to rival Dubai's world-famous Palm Islands and hopefully attract both international attention and investment in the small nation.

Inspiration had struck the businessman as he was flying from Dubai to Baku, so he grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down his plans for an entire city development.

Immediately after touching down, he went to an architect and handed over a sketch that would lead to detailed plans for the islands.

When the Khazar Islands were first announced, he told reporters that a number of international investors had showed interest in the project, which he described as being like a 'new Venice.'

Unfortunately for Ibrahimov, the reality of the ambitious development turned out to bequite different.

Despite its impressive blueprint, the project - which was originally due to be completed by 2023 - failed to take off.

Construction began in March 2011 and substantial building works were achieved during Azerbaijan's economic boom.

However, when the price of oil (the country's primary source of wealth) crashed in 2015, the project's overly ambitious scale and design became obvious.

There were also a number of questions surrounding its feasibility and environmental impact.

But, despite major delays, developers insisted that the project would still go ahead with an estimated completion date between 2020 and 2025.

After two years without any progress, in April 2017, Ibrahimov insisted that work would start again later that year. But this would ultimately not be the case.

Eventually, hopes of the islands ever coming to fruition disappeared completely. And, instead of a luxury oasis in the Caspian Sea, empty, unfinished buildings and underdeveloped islands remain.

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