President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have become acquainted with the conservation works carried out at the Pir Omar Sultan shrine in Shamakhi on September 17.
“Elchi” reports that the historical Pir Omar Sultan shrine is located in the village of Avakhil, Shamakhi district. Initial archaeological research conducted here resulted in the discovery of tomb remains dating back to the mid-14th century and artifacts confirming that it belongs to Pir Omar Avakhili, the founder of the Khalwati order.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the shrine during their trip to Shamakhi in 2020 and gave instructions regarding the implementation of conservation works at the monument.
The remains of the shrine, built from river and rock stones, have been conserved over the past period with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Inside the shrine, 8 graves belonging to Pir Omar Avakhili and other individuals were discovered and tidied up. A wall made of the same stone material was built to protect the shrine and its surroundings after the conservation works. An eight-sided metal structure canopy, 16 meters high, was erected over the wall. A walking path has been created for visitors in the conserved area of the shrine and its surroundings. During the works, special attention was paid to ensuring no damage was caused to nature or the surrounding graves.
It should be noted that the restoration of this shrine is part of the complex measures implemented by the state aimed at preserving religious and historical monuments. The fact that the conservation of the Pir Omar Sultan shrine was carried out with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is a great contribution by the Foundation to these state-level efforts in our country.
During the acquaintance with the shrine, the head of state and the First Lady were also informed about the completed restoration works at the Kalakhana mausoleum complex in the Shamakhi district. It was noted that eight out of the nine mausoleums belonging to the 17th century, located in the village of Kalakhana in Shamakhi, have survived to the present day, and one of them had suffered serious damage.
With the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, restoration and conservation works were carried out at this historical monument. The restoration works, which also involved foreign experts, covered 7 mausoleums in the Kalakhana complex.
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President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have become acquainted with the conservation works carried out at the Pir Omar Sultan shrine in Shamakhi on September 17.
