There's an unusually beautiful palace in the center of Baku on Murtuza Mukhtarov Street. It was built at the beginning of the 20th century by famous Baku philanthropist and was dedicated to his wife, Liza Tuganova-Mukhtarova, who was born in the family of Ossetian military aristocrats. For many years this palace was a cult place for newlyweds thanks to Mukhtarovs' touching love story. During the Soviet period it was called "The Club of Liberated Turkish Girl", then Shirvanshahs Museum-Reserve, then the Wedding Palace, which eventually reflected in its name - "The Palace of Happiness". The last name remained even after a complete restoration in 2012, when part of the palace began to host official state receptions.
Mukhtarovs' love story, imprinted in the stones of this mansion, makes you think about the vicissitudes of the history of pre-revolutionary Baku.
Daughter of Ossetian nobles Liza Tuganova was born and grew up in Vladikavkaz. Her parents, Colonel Aslanbek Tuganov and Pasha Dudarova were among the most honored aristocratic families of Vladikavkaz. One day, on a business trip to Vladikavkaz, Mukhtarov saw a man in uniform and two soldiers on a platform. It was Aslanbek Tuganov, Liza's father. Liza Tuganova and Mukhtarov met in Vladikavkaz and had their wedding there. Mukhtarov built in a mosque, dedicated to his wife, in her hometown. It's still known in Ossetia as Mukhtarov's mosque .
They went to Europe for a honeymoon - they visited Paris, Rome, Venice. In Venice, Liza liked one mansion. Mukhtarov remembered this and, as a sign of love, after returning to Baku he secretly contacted Polish architect Ploshko and asked to design a palace in the Venetian style. Ploshko was already famous in Baku for his extraordinary architectural works. The building was built in record time - a year. Contemporaries write that Liza didn't believe her eyes and couldn't come to her senses for a long time, when her husband showed her this building.
Murtuza Mukhtarov (on the left) in Vladikavkaz with Liza's family
While living in Baku, Liza always worked on large-scale charity projects. Her name is often mentioned in referece books and calendars of that time. Together with doctors Bahram-bek Akhundov, Gotsiridze and Elena Georgievna Martynova (Baku mayor's wife) Mukhtarova was a member of the board of Baku department of the Caucasian Society Against Tuberculosis. She was one of the active members of charitable society "Children's Hospital", organized in 1913, which helped to create special children's hospital in Baku. Mukhtarovs didn't have their own children and a boy they adopted died in infancy.
In her luxurious palace on Persian Street (now Mukhtarov Street), Liza organized a boarding house where girls from poor families and orphans were educated. Thanks to her help, famous actress Fatma Mukhtarova, who was later called "Azerbaijan's Carmen", was able to get education.
Liza Mukhtarova was also a member of the board of "Murtuza Mukhtarov" joint stock company and was associated with the Baku Muslim Educational Society "Nijat" ("Salvation"). In 1914 she headed Muslim Women's Charity Society, which also involved such educators as Rahila Kazieva, Sara Vezirova, Peri Topchibasheva, Ismet Ashurbekova and many others. The society assisted poor Muslim girls, helped them to get education. Members of the organization conducted a serious educational work, arranged numerous charity events, the so-called "Days of White Chamomile", which helped to raise money for needs of poor children and orphans.
Murtuza Mukhtarov, who was a patron of Muslim Women's Charity Society, donated 2.5 hectares of land in one of the Baku settlements - Gala. This is evidenced by historical documents. He built two orphanages there.
But this organization wasn't able to fulfill all of its goals - April 1920 events turned out to be a terrible tragedy for Liza Mukhtarova. Bolsheviks that occupied Baku turned Mukhtarovs' Palace into one of the strongholds of the Red Army.
At the time, many rich people left Baku fearing that something horrible will happen, but Murtuza Mukhtarov despised cowardice and decided not to leave his house. However, he couldn't put his wife's life at risk so he sent her to Batumi.
In April of 1920, cavalry of the Red Army broke into millionaire's mansion. Uninvited guests insulted Mukhtarov after he demanded to leave his house. Mukhtarov shot them from the revolver, leaving the last bullet for himself. But he made a mistake and painfully died only after two more days due to bleeding.
Liza felt that something happened and rushed to Baku, where she found out that her house has been plundered and desecrated. The Red Army soldiers allowed Liza to stay in the basement. Daughter of oil magnate and later Azerbaijani historian Sara Ashurbeyli recalled how she brought food to Liza, who was trapped in the basement. Trying to avoid the terrible fate of her husband, Liza had a fictitious marriage with Turkish diplomat and left for Turkey. However, Turkish diplomat tricked and left her without a penny in a huge Istanbul. This is where the tragic story of Murtuza and Liza ends. Liza's fate still remains unknown. All clues eventually lead to nowhere and no information close to the 1950s can be found.
