Opening ceremony of the Chol Gala Mosque and Spring following the restoration

On March 27, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the historic Chol Gala Mosque and spring in Shusha following the restoration.

The restoration of the mosque was carried out by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation with the support of Pasha Holding. Restoration work began in 2023. During this period, most of the courtyard’s deformed paving stones were dismantled and reinforced, while the floor was restored. The iron entrance gate and railings atop the fence were crafted with ornamental designs characteristic of Karabakh architecture. The damaged sections of the mosque’s façade—built from local stone—were fully restored, and the cornice and corner stones that had become unstable were removed and renovated. After installing the wooden inter-floor covering structure, a balcony was formed and completed with a glass enclosure.

The mosque consists of an entrance area, a prayer hall, and auxiliary rooms. Unlike other mosques in Shusha, the entrance to this mosque is accessed via stone steps on the right side. From the open vestibule, there is access to both the room and the prayer hall. The stones used in the construction of the mosque were restored, the mihrab was rebuilt, and verses and patterns from the Holy Quran were engraved on it.

The Chol Gala Spring, located near the Chol Gala mosque and dating back to the 19th century, was also restored. Built in a rectangular shape, the spring reflects the architectural style of nearby mosques. During the restoration, its original architectural style was preserved, its structure was reinforced, and its historical appearance was fully recovered.