President of Azerbaijan and Chairman of Turkmenistan’s Halk Maslahaty visited Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha

On July 17, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque in Shusha.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was informed that, like in other formerly occupied territories, Shusha’s historical monuments, including mosques, suffered destruction and desecration during the Armenian occupation. Of the city’s 17 mosques, 16 were destroyed by the occupiers. Following the liberation of Shusha, restoration efforts for the mosques were launched immediately under the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev. The restoration of the Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque - a major historical and religious landmark that had been subjected to Armenian vandalism - began in late 2021 under the leadership of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The mosque was reopened on May 10, 2023, after extensive reconstruction and restoration work. President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their family members attended the opening ceremony.

The Yukhari Govhar Agha Mosque is listed among Azerbaijan’s monuments of national historical and cultural significance.