Opening ceremony of the Ashaghi Govhar Agha Mosque after restoration

On July 5, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening of the Ashaghi Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha following its restoration.

Built in the 19th century by Karbalayi Safikhan Karabakhi, the Ashaghi Govhar Agha Mosque is considered the first mosque in Shusha commissioned by Govhar Agha, the daughter of Ibrahim Khan. During the occupation of Shusha, the mosque’s building and minarets were severely damaged by fire from Armenian armored vehicles, and the mosque became a victim of vandalism.

Since December 2021, restoration efforts have been led by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with support from PASHA Holding. The restoration was carried out with the aim of preserving the mosque’s original architectural style and also included the restoration of the adjacent madrasa building. During the restoration, several traces of Armenian vandalism were discovered in the Ashaghi Govhar Agha Mosque. Various inscriptions and interventions were identified on the walls of the mosque, including a cross carved into the wall. Some of the ruins of the madrasa building, which was subjected to Armenian vandalism during the occupation, have also been conserved. Every visitor to the mosque can now witness these facts of Armenian vandalism against this historical and religious monument.