Ismailiyya building, Gothic building in Istiglaliyyat Street, Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Ismailiyya building is a palace on Istiglaliyyat Street with a limestone facade displaying Gothic features including pointed arches, symmetrical windows, and detailed stone carvings. The vertical lines and carefully balanced proportions give the structure visual prominence on the street.
In 1913, a wealthy oil businessman commissioned Polish architect Jozef Ploszko to build this memorial to his son. The structure later transformed into an institutional headquarters, shifting from personal remembrance to public scientific purpose.
The building now serves as the headquarters of the Presidium of Azerbaijan's Academy of Sciences. This transformation shaped how local institutions understand its place in the nation's intellectual life.
The building sits in central Baku and can be visited during regular opening hours. It helps to check conditions beforehand since it functions as an active administrative center.
The facade displays inscriptions promoting knowledge and work, marking how the building's purpose shifted from personal memorial to public institution. These carved messages remain visible reminders of this transformation.
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