Villa Petrolea, Historical petroleum museum in Baku, Azerbaijan
Villa Petrolea is a mansion in Baku that displays household items, artwork, and documents from the oil industry era. The building contains furniture, personal objects, and historical papers that document the life of a wealthy family during the oil boom.
Swedish architect Fyodor Lidval designed this mansion in 1882, making it the first building in Baku to have telephone lines and ventilation systems. The house was built as the family expanded their power and wealth through the city's rapidly growing oil industry.
The rooms display paintings from St. Petersburg and traditional carpets created by Azerbaijani and Iranian artisans during the 1800s. These pieces reflect the artistic tastes of a wealthy family who lived here during Baku's oil boom.
The museum is located on Noyabr Avenue and open daily with free admission for all visitors. Plan to spend time walking through the rooms at your own pace to take in the many personal details of the family's life.
One room serves as a conference space designed in the style of a London gentleman's club, revealing how international the family's business connections were. This unusual blend of Baku and London shows the global ties that oil wealth created.
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