NEWS

The Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan has published an article about Mirali Mausoleum as part of the “Karabakh is the cradle of Azerbaijani culture” project.

“Mirali Mausoleum is a tower-shaped mausoleum rising on a hill in Ashagi Veysalli village of Fizuli region.

Judging by the construction techniques, it is considered that this monument was built in the 14th century during the Ilkhanid period.”

Honored artist of Azerbaijan, laureate of international competitions, conductor of the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre Eyyub Guliyev has been awarded the Golden Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit.

Guiliyev received the award for his special contribution to the development of cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Hungary.

He will receive the award in a ceremony to be held at the Hungarian Embassy in Azerbaijan.

Restoration works are underway in Icherisheher, known as the oldest part of Baku. Several wall stones were spilled in the fortress walls amid. 

The age of the stones, the quality of materials used in the restoration in the middle of the last century, as well as rainfalls negatively affected the look of the Old City walls. 

The restoration work will be carried out along all the walls of the Old City in the next few years. In 2019,  Gosha Gala Gates and part of the adjacent fortress wall were successfully restored.

At present, a special working group has been set up by the department to start the restoration of the fortress wall, which includes experts working in this field along with the employees of the state reserve. 

All measures will be taken to protect and preserve the Old City, inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. 

Numerous unique monuments, mosques and minarets, the ruins of caravanserais and bathhouses make this place one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.

In general, there were several baths in Icherisheher. The baths of the Shirvanshahs Palace, Gasim bay, Haji Bani, Agha Mikail, Agha Zeynal and the underground bath are historical monuments that are protected by the state.

Not far from Gosha Gala there is also Baku Khans' Palace, dating back to the 17th-18th centuries. Until 1806, the rulers of the khanate used this complex as their residence.

Baku Khans' Palace includes residential buildings, a khan’s garden, an underground bathhouse, a medieval well, the ruins of a pottery workshop, an irrigation system, a khan’s mosque. Restoration and conservation, as well as improvement work here, began in September 2018.

Baggal Gallery, which holds exhibition-sale of souvenirs and traditional crafts, a book house as well as a cafe also operate here.

There is also a beautiful park, which will undoubtedly become one of the most favourite places for recreation for Baku residents and the city's guests.

After reconstructions, Baku Khans' Palace will function as a museum. Here, the wide audience will learn the history of ancient Baku city, revived by modern technologies.

 The museum's opening ceremony is scheduled for the end of the year.

Famous designer Gulnara Khalilova has presented a new project in honour of Azerbaijan's victory and the National Revival Day.

The project "Karabakh is Azerbaijan!" brought together MP Nigar Arpadarai, director of the Old City Museum Center Amina Melikova, People's Artist, singer and composer Tunzala Aghayeva, mugham singer, Honored Artist Farghana Gasimova, TV hosts  Leyla Guliyeva and Khadija Sananqizi,  stylist and makeup artist Sabina Imanova, blogger Sausan Jouda and Gulnara Khalilova herself.

The project participants were dressed in traditional dresses from the designer's fashion collection "Karabakh" created in 2015. 

The fashion collection has been successfully presented at fashion shows in the UK, USA, Russia and China. 

Each character in the video corresponds to the country's liberated territories - Agdam, Agdera, Gubadli, Jabrayil,  Zangilan, Kelbajar, Lachin, Fuzuli, Khankendi, Khojaly, Khojavend and Shusha. The video features "Arazbari" by great national composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli.

"Our close-knit people and valiant army, headed by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, has achieved a historical victory over the Armenian occupiers.

After 30 years, our lands were liberated, and each of us feels especially happy these days. It is gratifying to note that my father, academician Vidadi Khalilov was born in Jabrayil, and the liberation of this city became a very significant event for our family. Karabakh is Azerbaijan!, " Khalilova told.

The project was filmed by Eltun Bakhyshzade, photographer- Adil Yusifov, producer - Yalchin Jabbarov.

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has completed restoration of the bas-relief of “the meeting between Pope 1st Leo and Hun Emperor Attila” in the St. Peter’s Basilica. The project was implemented in accordance with the agreement signed in February 2019 between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the St. Peter’s Basilica.

On February 22, 2020, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva, as part of their visit to the Vatican, also viewed the St. Peter’s Basilica and the bas-relief of “the meeting between Pope 1st Leo and Hun Emperor Attila” there.

The St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican is one of the most famous examples of the Renaissance architecture, being one of the greatest churches in the world. St. Peter, who is considered to be the first Supreme Pontiff, is buried in the church. This building is also a holy place of pilgrimage and religious ceremonies. The St. Peter's Basilica is also a holy place of pilgrimage and religious ceremonies.

The projects carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation are highly appreciated at the Holy See. These works demonstrate to the whole world the contribution made by the Foundation to universal values. Moreover, these projects also show the significance Azerbaijan has been attaching to monuments and holy places of various religions. And all these strengthen Azerbaijan’s position in the world, and its role in building a dialogue between religions, as a country loyal to multicultural values, and promoting these values.

The National Carpet Museum continues its virtual tour throughout its extensive collection. Famous public and cultural figures are taking part in the project.

This time, popular TV-host Konul Arifgizi has informed art lovers about stunning Karabakh carpets, stored in the museum's collection. The tour was accompanied by sign language translation prepared within the museum's inclusive programme.

The Carpet Museum also provided insight into Khantirme carpets of the Karabakh group woven in Barda, Aghjabadi, Tartar, as well as Hadrut, Garabulag, and Kohna Taglar.

The composition of the carpets is similar to the Indian termeh. Clothes of khans and nobles were also made of termeh, therefore the carpet's name is formed by a combination of the words 'khan' and "termeh".

The central field of these carpets, woven mainly in an oblong design, consists of alternating narrow and wide stripes decorated with vegetative elements. Buta and ilangach elements adorn the wide stripes.

Founded in 1967, the National Carpet Museum holds more than 14,000 exhibits of the finest Azerbaijani carpets.

The museum, initiated by eminent carpet artist Latif Karimov, is beautiful inside and out. The museum's new building is designed in the form of a rolled carpet.

The Carpet Museum opened its doors in 2014 at Baku Seaside Park. All carpets were transferred to the museum's new location.

Now, the museum hosts multiple events, including international symposiums, conferences and various exhibitions.

In 2019, the museum received the national status for its significant contribution in popularization and promotion of the Azerbaijani Carpet Weaving Art.

The Ministry of Culture has released a statement on the protection of the Christian religious heritage in Azerbaijan.

For centuries, representatives of all nations and religions have lived peacefully in Azerbaijan, a multicultural and multi-confessional country.

The large Christian community in Azerbaijan is an integral and active part of the country’s society, and their monuments, places of worship, and churches are fully protected by the Azerbaijani state and are regularly restored. It is no coincidence that during his visit to Azerbaijan in October 2016, Pope Francis named Azerbaijan a role model country of religious tolerance for the whole world.

The assessment of material and cultural heritage, the restoration, and reconstruction of historical and religious monuments, including churches and synagogues, is an integral part of the policy pursued by the Azerbaijani state in this area.

"Over the past 20 years, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral (Cathedral of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women), the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Savior, and the Russian Orthodox Church of Alexander Nevsky in Ganja have been repaired at the expense of the state. A religious and cultural centre of the Baku and Azerbaijani dioceses were built as well. 

The renovation of Albano-Udi Chotari Church in Gabala, the Orthodox Church in Baku as well as the construction of Church of St. Mary in Baku were carried out within the project "Address of Tolerance -Azerbaijan" initiated by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. 

In 2020, within the project of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Albanian Church of the Holy Virgin Mary in Gabala's Nij village was thoroughly restored. Moreover, the Azerbaijani state restored and handed over for free use of the Armenian Church in Baku. 

Azerbaijan has contributed to the protection of the Christian heritage not only in the country but throughout the world. 

With the support of the state, the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian in the Vatican were restored. In addition, the catacombs of Saint Marcellin and Pietro in Rome were restored within the "Bilateral agreement on the restoration of the Roman catacombs" signed between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Holy See.

The Culture Ministry also touched upon the erection of Prince Vladimir on the square in front of the Church of Saint Vladimir by the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev and with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

The monument was erected on the occasion of the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Russia and the 455th anniversary of Astrakhan.

Moreover,  assistance was provided in the restoration of seven churches related to the 10th-12th centuries in the settlements of Santia, Fresne-au-Sauvay, Saint-Hilaire-la-Gerard, Tanville, Courjust, Revoyon, and Mal in the French department of Orne.

Along with the Muslim monuments in the liberated territories, the Christian heritage, regardless of its origin, will be protected, restored and put into operation at a high level.

The city, which was occupied by Armenian forces on May 8, 1992 is located on the road to Khankendi, the region's largest city.

In general,  210 historical-cultural monuments, 30 cultural houses, 19 libraries, 8 musical schools, 7 museums, 1 gallery and 1 theater will be restored in Shuha city.

As a result of Armenian vandalism, hundreds of cultural institutions, including 927 libraries with 4.6 million books, 808 palaces of culture, clubs and other cultural institutions, 85 music and art schools were destroyed in the occupied Azerbaijani territories. 

Neartly 22 museums and museum branches, four art galleries, four theaters, two concert halls, eight parks of culture and recreation, were subjected to the Armenian vandalism. 

Over 700 historical and cultural monuments registered by the state before the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were looted, including the 11 and 15-span Khudaferin bridges in Jabrayil, Ganjasar and Khudavend sanctuaries in Kalbajar, the mausoleum in Aghdam's Khachin Turbetli village, Azykh cave in Fuzuli as well as Shusha state historical and architectural reserve.

The Shusha Historical and Architectural Reserve was founded in 1977 at the initiative of the national leader Heydar Aliyev. 

The Reserve includes historical monuments like  the Upper and Lower Govharaga mosques, Khan gizi Natevan’s hose, Garabag khan palace, Vagif mauzoleum, Mirza Salah bey Zohrabbeyov’s residential house, Shusha kurgan, Shusha cave camp, Shusha fortress, and others.

In total, there were 549 ancient buildings in Shusha, including a total length of 1,203 meters streets laid with stone, 17 quarter springs, 17 mosques, 6 caravanserais, 3 mausoleums, 2 medrese, 2 castles, fortress walls as well as 72 important art and historic monuments, houses of state figures, and other renowned persons.