The Mailyan Brothers’ Armenian Theatre in Baku

At the beginning of the 20th century, 3 brothers in Baku, Daniel, Hovhannes and Ghazar Mailyan, not only held shares in the oil industry but also founded a whole industry in the Russian Empire, the production of caviar, for which they were called the “caviar kings”.

In 1910–1911 they built the Mailyan Brothers’ Armenian Theatre in Baku, designed by the architect Nikoghayos Bayev. At that time Baku was the administrative centre of the Baku Governorate of the Russian Empire. Later the theatre was taken from the Mailyans and renamed the M. F. Akhundov Azerbaijan Opera and Ballet Theatre.

The photograph shows the façade of the building, with towers, large arched windows, sculpted decoration and an entrance with columns.