Aga Musa Nagiyev is one of the 11 Baku millionaires, who amassed his fortune during the oil boom in Baku in the early twentieth century. Despite the fact that Musa Nagiyev was not as famous as his close friend and advisor Haci Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, he had done much for his people.

The local oil magnate's granddaughter, Doctor of Historical Sciences Dilara Nagieva, told us about his grandfather and the buildings in Baku constructed by him. "In the course of research I could unearth 62 buildings out of a total of 98 ones built by him, with 32 of them today functioning as administrative offices. These include the buildings of the State Economic University, the Academy of Sciences, SOCAR, the Ministry of Health, the State Committee for Work with Diaspora, the Serious Crimes Court, the Lutheran Church, the Scientific Research Institute of Paediatrics, "Azerittifag", and the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies, as well as the building where the Baku Prosecutor's office and the Military Commissariat had been located," she said.

Musa Nagiyev, who was genuinely committed to his people, wanted to leave his mark in the hearts of his countrymen, by doing charity work, constructing the Shollar-Baku water supply pipeline, completing the construction of the Baku Real School, and constructing hospitals and hotels.

Musa Nagiyev longed to see that his people should be educated, according to her.

At 49 he launched an oil refinery that brought him untold wealth. Musa Nagiyev spent all his earnings for the benefit of his people. The author of the idea of building colorful buildings in Baku that combined the beauty of Western and Oriental architectures, was Musa Nagiyev," says Dilara Nagieva.

According to her, the Nagiyev-initiated buildings constructed in the beginning of the 20th century were mostly designed by Polish architects. Despite the lack of education, Musa Nagiev amazed foreign architects with his practical advice when discussing building projects.

It is worth noting that it is Polish and German architects that gave truly European glamour to Baku.

It is particularly worth recognizing the role of four Polish architects - Joseph Ploshko, Eugeniusz Skibiński, Józef Gosławski, Kazimierz Skórewicz, and two engineers - Paweł Potocki and Witold Zglenitski.

Actively involved in the work of the Baku Muslim Charitable Society, Musa Nagiyev was a philanthropist during his lifetime.

In 1905 Musa Nagiyev sent the architect Ploshko to Venice for three years to examine projects of luxury buildings in Gothic style there. Thus, construction of Ismailiyye building in Venice Gothic style that was built in memory of his son (died at young age) started on 21 December 1908 and was completed on 7 April 1913. The designer of the palace was Ploshko.

Elmin Nuri