During the events of March 1918, the Armenians who took control of Baku, along with the population of the city, systematically and purposefully destroyed the cultural monuments of our people. One of these magnificent architectural monuments is the Ismailiyya building of the Muslim Charity Society, located on Nikolayev (Istiglaliyyat) Street, one of the central streets of Baku.
In 1917, the idea of giving autonomy to Azerbaijan was voiced in this building where the Congress of Caucasian Muslims was held, and the history of our independence became the main headquarters of the struggle for independence. During the events of March 1918, Armenians looted the Ismailiyya building and then set it on fire. In addition to the damage caused to the building during the fires, the archives of the institutions operating in the palace, including the palace itself, were destroyed by fire.
The Ismailiyya building was restored during the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and currently serves as the building of the Presidium of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.
