Baku: Oil, Millionaires & Architecture

The Baku: Oil, Millionaires & Architecture Tour takes you back to the era of the oil boom, when Baku became one of the world’s wealthiest and most important oil-producing cities.

During this tour, you’ll discover the fascinating stories of Baku’s oil millionaires, admire magnificent buildings commissioned by wealthy industrialists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and learn about the city’s important role in the development of the global oil industry.

The experience combines an architectural walk through Baku’s historic city center with visits to significant landmarks of its oil heritage, from the world’s first industrially drilled oil well to modern districts shaped by the city’s petroleum industry.

PLACES YOU’LL VISIT

Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev House Museum
Discover the legacy of one of Azerbaijan’s most influential oil millionaires and philanthropists.

Oil Millionaires’ Architectural Heritage
Explore the historic city center and admire magnificent mansions and buildings commissioned by Baku’s wealthy oil industrialists.

Ismailiyya Palace
Admire one of Baku’s most impressive architectural landmarks, built during the city’s oil boom era.

Murtuza Mukhtarov Palace
Discover an elegant early 20th-century mansion built by one of Baku’s prominent oil millionaires.

Rothschild Brothers’ Building
See a historic building associated with the Rothschild family’s involvement in Baku’s oil industry.

Baku City Duma
Admire the historic City Hall building, an outstanding example of Baku’s early 20th-century architecture.

Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall
Discover a magnificent historic building reflecting the architectural elegance of Baku’s oil boom period.

SOCAR Headquarters
See the modern headquarters of Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company, symbolizing the country’s contemporary energy industry.

Bibi-Heybat Oil Fields
Explore one of Baku’s most historically significant oil-producing areas.

First Oil Well
Visit the site of the world’s first industrially drilled oil well, dating back to 1846.

Nobel Brothers’ Residence (Villa Petrolea)
Discover the historic residence of the Nobel brothers and learn about their pioneering role in Azerbaijan’s oil industry.

Baku White City
Explore a modern urban district developed on the site of former industrial oil fields, showcasing Baku’s transformation from an industrial center into a contemporary city.