The Story of a Baku Oil Millionaire

Stories about children who overcome poverty and extraordinary difficulties to achieve success have inspired countless award-winning films.

But sometimes, real life tells an even more remarkable story.

One such story belongs to Azerbaijan’s history.

Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev: From Poverty to Wealth

In 1838, Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev was born into a poor shoemaker’s family in Baku. His mother died when he was young, leaving his father to raise him.

Unlike other children his age, ten-year-old Zeynalabdin did not wake up early to attend school. His family could not afford to give him an education.

Determined to help his father, he began working as an assistant to a local stonemason.

He earned his first six kopecks carrying heavy containers of mortar. By the age of fifteen, he had become a skilled stonemason, and by twenty, he was running a small construction business.

How Taghiyev Became an Oil Millionaire

In the 1870s, Baku experienced an extraordinary oil boom that transformed the city into one of the world’s leading oil-producing centres.

Recognising the opportunities in the rapidly developing industry, Taghiyev invested his savings in oil exploration.

Together with several business partners, he began drilling for oil in the Bibi-Heybat area near Baku.

The project initially produced disappointing results. After repeated failures, his partners lost confidence and sold their shares to Taghiyev.

But he refused to give up.

He continued drilling until the well finally struck oil.

This breakthrough transformed the former stonemason into one of Baku’s wealthiest oil entrepreneurs.

Despite his enormous success, Taghiyev had received little formal education and never forgot his humble beginnings.

A Millionaire Who Invested in People

What made Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev truly remarkable was not simply his wealth, but how he used it.

Unlike many wealthy industrialists of his time, Taghiyev devoted substantial resources to philanthropy, education and public welfare.

His generosity earned him widespread respect throughout Azerbaijan and beyond.

He supported numerous projects in education, science, culture, architecture, journalism and social development.

Although he had received little formal education himself, Taghiyev understood its importance for future generations.

He financed the studies of talented young people at educational institutions in Europe, helping them gain knowledge and professional skills.

One of his most significant achievements was funding the establishment of a pioneering secular school for Muslim girls in Baku, which opened in 1901.

At a time when educational opportunities for girls were extremely limited in the region, this initiative represented an important step forward.

Taghiyev also supported charitable and humanitarian causes, including assistance to communities affected by hardship and disease.

His legacy demonstrates how one person’s determination and generosity can influence the development of an entire society.

Discover the Legacy of Baku’s Oil Millionaires

Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev’s extraordinary journey from a poor shoemaker’s son to a successful businessman and philanthropist remains one of the most inspiring stories from Azerbaijan’s oil boom.

Today, visitors can explore his legacy at the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan, housed in his former mansion in central Baku.

To learn more about Taghiyev, the Nobel and Rothschild families, and the fascinating history of Baku’s oil millionaires, join our thematic guided tour, Baku – City of Oil and Millions.