Building of Baku City Executive Power
The Building of Baku City Executive Power is an administrative building in Azerbaijan's capital Baku, at Istiglaliyyat Street, 4. The building was built in Baroque style in 1900–1904 on the basis of architect Józef Gosławski's project. The building is the last work of Gosławski. After his death in 1904, the project was initially led by Kazimierz Skórewicz, later by Józef Płoszko. The building was constructed on the order of Baku Duma and is currently being used by executive authority of Baku. The building is registered as a national architectural monument by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan dated 2 August 2001, No. 132. Preparation In 1898, Kazimierz Skórewicz prepared detailed sketch project with assignment of State Duma, Construction Commission, which included Gosławski, Józef Płoszko, Skórewicz and Adolf Eichler. On 18 July 1898, after the Commission evaluated Skurvick's sketch project, it was decided to assign Gosławski the plan, façade works. It's unknown to determine if Gosławski used Skórewicz's ideas, since there is no sketch of Skórewicz in the archives. Construction Although the building was designed with side wings, the construction began with the main building, and the cost of such large construction was too heavy for the city treasury. On 18 May 1900, a solemn ceremony was held for groundbreaking of city duma and first administrative building of the city's personal services. The Construction Commission carefully monitored the construction progress and the quality process. Particular attention was paid to the quality of the stone chosen for facade walls, as it could have an effect not only on firmness, but also on the general impression. On the eve of the construction of the first floor in the course of construction works, the governor of Baku requires the mayor to send the project to confirm it. He referred to the necessity of the governor's approval of the construction of public and private buildings for the community halls. According to some statements, Gosławski prepared a special project part of the building intended for the hall, "specially designed for the Duma sessions and designed as an amphitheater in the style of a parliamentary hall". The cost of this additional building was 51,000 rubles, and the cost of the whole building reached 441,174 rubles. Later this idea lost its importance. After the main construction of the building and the cleaning of the construction dump, the chief city gardener offered to plant "a garden to serve the beauty of architecture" in front of the building. He drafted the garden and in 1904 this project was implemented. After the death of Gosławski on 15 January 1904, Skórewicz, who was appointed to manage the construction of the building, made a great effort to keep the architectural idea completely and do not load interiors by Uprava and Duma. The weakening of the construction commission, which had completed the work of the building, led to the stoppage of work to be done, and Skórewicz, who could not work without the commission's decision, demanded the commission to take over