HISTORY MUSEUM

The building itself is a marvel of the oil boom architecture. Built in 1896 for Zeinalabdin Tagiyev, one of the richest oil barons in the late th century, the building was designed by the Polish architect Joseph Gaslavski, and his relatively simple façade leaves nothing to guess about his flamboyant interior. Two reception rooms are particularly remarkable: the white room (European) and the oriental room, each in a decorative style adapted to the hosts to which it was intended.

When the Soviet troops arrived, the building was confiscated by the Bolsheviks, which turned it into a museum (and not, fortunately, in housing, as was the case with other palaces).

In 1939, the Communists moved the museum's collections and installed the Soviet Council of Ministers. The building was returned to its role as museum in 1953. In recent years, many improvements have been made to design and value. Lighting, development of collections and new pieces make this museum an indispensable stage for learning about the history of the city and the country. Guided tours are of a very good level, allowing you to decrypt the display, not always translated, and to enrich your visit by many historical anecdotes. Take advantage of the opportunity to take a look at the magnificent house decorations, which included 101 pieces, only a small part of which is visiting today.