The extinguished hyperboloid of engineer Shukhov How the interior of the “Taghiyev Passage” in Baku was altered / PHOTO EVIDENCE

Information is circulating on social media about violations related to an architectural heritage site in the very centre of Baku.

The discussion concerns the historic architectural monument—the famous Taghiyev Passage—located at the intersection of Academician Zarifa Aliyeva Street and Mahammad Amin Rasulzade Street in the Sabail district of the capital. For many generations of Baku residents, it has been known as the “Old Department Store” or “BUM.”

The Taghiyev Passage was built between 1896 and 1898, based on a design by Polish architect Kazimierz Skórewicz, at what were then Olginskaya and Merkuryevskaya streets.

The building was erected during the era when, amid the oil boom, Baku was rapidly transforming into one of the world’s most architecturally expressive cities—blending Eastern traditions with European aesthetics.

The Taghiyev Passage became one of these landmarks: a monumental classical-style structure that served for many years as Baku’s main shopping centre. In 1907, a “French Electro-Biograph” cinema opened inside one of its halls.

Against this backdrop, social media users have been actively discussing the fact that during the recent reconstruction, the interior of the Taghiyev Passage was drastically altered.

From the late 19th and early 20th centuries until recently, the building was adorned with a glass roof installed on hyperbolic double-curvature metal structures designed by the renowned engineer Vladimir Grigoryevich Shukhov—thanks to which the gallery of the passage was filled with natural sunlight. Now, however, it has been replaced with a solid suspended ceiling lit only by artificial lighting.

To verify the posts circulating online, the author of these lines visited the passage and, after taking photographs, confirmed that everything said was true: the building’s original glass gallery has indeed been sealed off and hidden behind a suspended ceiling, which is also leaking.

Why, then, has the original appearance of this architectural monument—an eyewitness to Baku’s history and part of the legacy of the great philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev—been altered in such an improvised manner?

Caliber.Az addressed this question to the State Service for the Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan.

In an official response received by the editorial office, the Service stated:

“The building of the Baku City Department Store was placed under state protection as an architectural monument of local significance (inventory number 3459) by Resolution No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated August 2, 2001.

The building belonged to Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev from 1903. It currently houses commercial premises.

According to Part 2 of Article 5 of the Law ‘On the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments,’ any project involving work on monuments must be approved by the Ministry of Culture (in coordination with the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture) and must take into account the opinion of the National Academy of Sciences.

According to Article 10 of the Law, altering the artistic and aesthetic appearance of monuments, demolishing them, or carrying out repair, construction, economic or other work that may pose a threat to them is strictly prohibited.

According to Article 28 of the Law, persons who violate legislation on the protection of monuments bear criminal, administrative, disciplinary, and civil liability in accordance with the law.

We inform you that the repair and restoration work in the department store building was carried out approximately 7–8 years ago without the approval of the Ministry of Culture and in violation of the requirements of the current legislation.”

The State Service did not specify whether it intends—pursuant to Articles 5, 10 and 28 of the law cited in its response—to require the owners of the building to dismantle the suspended ceiling and restore the architectural monument to its original historical appearance.

However, we hope that the Service, as well as other state institutions—the Ministry of Culture, the Baku City Executive Authority, and the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan—along with all those who care about architectural heritage, will join efforts to return the Taghiyev Passage to its original hyperbolic glass roof.

Caliber.Az will continue to follow developments.