The Azerbaijani village that amazed Europe: what did the Siemens empire leave behind?

The German Siemens industrial family left a significant mark on the history of many countries around the world, including Azerbaijan, in the 19th century.

Initially engaged in laying telegraph lines, the Siemens soon turned their attention to Azerbaijan's rich natural resources - copper, gold and silver. Walter Siemens was the first to begin operations in Baku, and in a short time became the owner of oil fields and refineries.

During his travels through the Caucasus, Werner Siemens, having assessed the industrial potential of Gedabey, initiated the construction of a copper smelting plant and invested 2 million tsarist rubles in the project. According to data, the first power station in the Russian Empire was built specifically in Azerbaijan.

As early as 1883, the village of Galakend used electric lighting, while in central European cities they were still lighting kerosene lamps. The Siemens also made significant contributions to the development of local infrastructure - they built a market, hospital, library, roads and telegraph lines.

Thanks to their activities, Gedabey and the surrounding areas were transformed not only into a center of mining industry, but also into an important hub of science, technology and social progress.

More details in the Baku TV video material: