Azernews.Az

On July 18, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the restored historic mosque building in the village of Giyasly, Aghdam district, Azernews reports.

Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President, briefed the head of state on the restoration progress.

It is worth recalling that on May 28, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev visited the Giyasly mosque during his trip to Aghdam.

The Giyasly mosque, one of the historical and religious monuments subjected to Armenian vandalism in Karabakh, was used as a cattle shed during the occupation of Aghdam district by Armenian armed forces. This led to severe damage, including the complete destruction of its roof and domes.

Restoration work began in 2022 after the liberation of Aghdam, led by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The project relied on archival materials and video sources to faithfully preserve the mosque’s original appearance. A preserved spiral staircase inside indicated the presence of twin minarets on the southern side, which were subsequently reconstructed in accordance with tradition. Tilted stone columns were restored with specialized equipment, stone arches and domes rebuilt, and damaged plaster on the walls repaired. The mihrab, which had become unusable, was also restored. Facade stones were cleaned using special chemical agents, and joints between old stones were cleared. Auxiliary buildings were constructed around the mosque.

Since 2001, the Giyasly mosque has been listed as a locally significant immovable historical and cultural monument by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan.