Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque – Icon of Shusha
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the inauguration of the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha after the restoration
The Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque is one of those buildings that have a dominant cultural and religious position in the architectural ensemble of the central square of Shusha city of Azerbaijan and is considered one of the most valuable monuments of Shusha Historical and Architectural Reserve.
Etymological Background
The name of the Yukhari Govhar Agha in the Azerbaijani language referring to the location of the Mosque. Thus, the city of Shusha consisted of 17 mahallas (quarter/district/neighborhood) that were divided into upper (yukhari) and lower (ashaghi) mahallas. Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque is located in upper (yukhari) part of the city; therefore the Mosque was named as it is.
Historical Background
The mosque was built by order of Karabakh ruler Ibrahim Khalil Khan in 1763-1769. However, the construction was stopped for a long time.
It was then restarted and completed in 1883–1885 by architect Karbalayi Safikhan Karabakhi ordered by Govhar Agha, daughter of Ibrahim Khalil Khan.
Architecture
The prayer hall of the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque is three-nave, around 190-185 meters. From the northern part, a three-beam veranda gives a rectangular shape (26.5 x 21.5 meters) to the Mosque. In the veranda corners, there are two minarets and stairs to the balconies, which are used to host women’s premises of the prayer hall.
There are 6 stone columns in the Mosque that divided the prayer hall into naves. While the side sections are under pointed coverage, the two square parts are domed. The interior is lighted through double windows. The Mosque has two minarets. The entire building is made from stone, but the minarets are of bricks. “The cylindric bodies of the minarets have horizontal belts, and each section is laid on by different brick patterns”.
There is a three-arched balcony on the northern facade of the two-story mosque. Its middle arch is curved in contrast to the semicircular side arches, which gives a special beauty to the building. Rising along the main facade over the side arches, this arch is a sign to the front entrance of the mosque.
Armenian Vandalism
After the occupation of Shusha, the interior of the mosque was completely destroyed as a result of Armenian vandalism.
Restoration
The restoration of the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque was completed in late 2021.
Conservation and restoration works were carried out as per the original design by the consortium of Azerbaijani, Italian and Turkish firms under the supervision of Austria’s Wehdorn Architekten company. Pasha Holding funded the project.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and their family members participated in the inauguration of the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha after the reconstruction and restoration works.
Ilham Aliyev, the First Lady and their family members viewed the “Mir Mohsun Navvab Garabaghi – encyclopedic scientist of the 19th century” exhibition in the madrasa located on the territory of the mosque.
