Empress Alexandra Russian Muslim Boarding School for Girls, Educational building in Baku, Azerbaijan
The Empress Alexandra Russian Muslim Boarding School for Girls is an early 1900s school building in Baku with symmetrical facades and large windows across multiple levels. The structure reflects architectural styles from that era and has been repurposed as an academic research facility.
The school was founded in 1901 as the first secular educational facility for Muslim girls across the entire Russian Empire. This marked a turning point in how education was offered to Muslim communities under Russian rule.
The name references Empress Alexandra, reflecting the link between Russian authority and local Muslim education at that time. The building represents how modern schooling was introduced to the region and gave girls access to studies beyond traditional religious instruction.
The building is not open to the public today, as it houses the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences. Visitors can see the exterior architecture and learn about the site's history through plaques or local information nearby.
A wealthy oil businessman funded the entire construction of the building and received personal approval from the Russian Empress for the project. This was an unusual example of private enterprise directly creating a modern school for girls in the region.
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