Pearls of the Eastern architecture - Nakhchivan tombs

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Published on Saturday, 23 December 2017 16:34

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Nakhchivan, one of the oldest inhabited and cultural centers of Azerbaijan is rich in the ancient monuments, caves, dwellings, magnificent castles, rock paintings, stone sculptures and  tombs, which reflect the history of our people brightly. In this regard, national leader Heydar Aliyev said: “Nakhchivan is a land of monuments reflecting the history of Azerbaijani people. In this small area, there have been many historical and architectural monuments of world importance. Each of them is a monument to the history of Azerbaijan people, its culture and traditions”.

Today, those monuments are surrounded by the attention and care of our state, over the past 21 years about 70 historical and cultural monuments have been reconstructed and repaired in the autonomous republic, Over 1200 monuments were registered and certificated. Among these monuments, tombs, the pearls of the Nakhchivan architectural school have a special place. Work is continuing to promote these tombstones internationally. The fact that Nakhchivan is the capital of Islamic culture for 2018 also opens up opportunities for it. Collection of documents for inclusion of Nakhchivan tombs into the Islamic Cultural Heritage List has already been submitted to ISESCO.

The product of high artistic thinking, the monument of unique beauty and elegance – Momuna khatun tomb

One of the   unique monuments of Azerbaijani architecture is Momuna khatun tomb. This monument was built in 1186 by the outstanding architect Ajami Abubakr oghlu Nakhchivani. Momuna khatun  is one of the diplomat women in Azerbaijan. She was the bulwark of her husband and children in the foreign and domestic policies of the Atabeyler state. According to this loyalty, her husband Shamsaddin Eldaniz decided to build a magnificent mausoleum on her grave. In 1175 the mausoleum was laid. After the death of Shamsaddin Eldaniz Atabey, the construction of the mausoleum was completed by their son Mohammed Jahan Pahlavan.

PhD in History, Musa Guliyev, in his article "On the investigations carried out on Momuna khatun tomb" writes that this monument is the product of elegance and high artistic thinking. That is why it can keep the watchers in its attraction. Because, the tomb has the unity of artistry and mathematical thinking. Geometric ornaments on the monument were engraved with great skill. You can not keep yourself not to admire the accuracy of the architectural division of the lines separating the outer surfaces. Architect Ajami, who built the tomb, adapted the Kufic line inscriptions to complex patterns reminiscent of geometrical systems. All this can make the general composition of the monument attractive to the audience. One of these kufic inscriptions leads us to the twentieth century: “We pass away, but only the wind is left behind us. We die, but only a work is left as a present”.

A historical monument bearing centuries- Usif Kuseir oghlu tomb

The tomb of Usif Kuseir oghlu, located in the center of the city of Nakhchivan and known as the "Atababa Dome" among the residents, was built in 1162.  It is very valuable as the first masterpiece of the master architect which reached this day. The inscription of the tomb consisting of a vault and overground towerformed   part it is reflected in whose honor and in what history it was built:   “This tomb belongs to Usif Kuseyir oglu, leader of sheikhs, beautiness of Islam, intellect of religion, distinguished chief and khaja”. The other inscription says: “Deed of Ajami Abubakr oglu Nakhchivani, builder”.

The book of architect Gadir Aliyev “The harmony in the creativity of architect Ajami Nakhchivani” gives this information about Usif Kuseir oghlu tomb: “At first glance, the tomb that draws attention with a clean geometric shape and beautiful harmonic structure is double. Both layers of the tomb are properly octagonal in plan. An eight-faced vault was covered with a dome. It is the result of mastery engineering that Usif Kuseir oglu tomb is the only tomb having upper pyramidal cover and remaining undestroyed during 800 years among the towerformed tombs in Azerbaijan”. 

All the eight surfaces of the tomb are decorated with different geometric ornaments. These ornaments are made of small bricks, were fastened against the faces by joining a frying pan form with a lime solution. Only one surface of the tomb - the west facing surface was solved otherwise. Here is the entrance door of the tomb.The upper part of the faces of the tomb was separated as a belt and an inscription was arranged here.

Garabaghlar Tomb Complex is one of the world-famous monuments

Taking into consideration the historical position of this monument among the material and cultural monuments of our people, the world importance, the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Mr. Vasif Talibov signed a Decree on July 4, 2016 “On the restoration and study of Garabaghlar Tomb Complex”. The Decree says: “From the complex of the XII-XIV centuries which located in Garabaghlar village of Kangarli region, a twin minaret headspan and a tomb reached our time. According to the architectural structure and similar features of this monument, which preserves the progressive traditions of the memorial architecture of Azerbaijan is the continuation of Ajami Nakhchivan architectural school and an example of the work of architect Ahmed Nakhchivani”.

The construction of the tomb complex is believed to be one of the major memorial-charity complexes of the widely-spread abvab-al-birr (gates of religiousness) during the reign of the Elkhanians. The central building of such complexes, which included the palace, the mosque, the madrasa, the khanagah, the healing room, the bath and other buildings, is the "High dome" - a tomb.

Academician Ismayil Hajiyev writes that the sources and experts note that the double minarets were built in the XII-XIII centuries, the headspan in the XIV century, and the tomb was built in 1332-1337. According to the characteristics of the style and construction, the date of the tomb construction dates back to the years of the reign of Hulakah ruler Abu Said Bahadur Khan (1319-1335).

Researchers M. Mirheydarzadeh, A.Salamzadeh, L.Bretanitski, K.Mammadzadeh, A.Asgerzadeh, V.Ssoyev, T.Yazar, S.Karimzadeh, Sh.Mammadova and others have expressed interesting thoughts and considerations about the Garabaghlar Tomb Complex, they have made some definitions about the history of the monuments.

The Garabaghlar tomb consists of two parts: a vault and an overground memorial monument. This monument reflects the main features of the tower. The 12-semi-cylindrical projection, combined in the form of bunch on a stone pedestal, forms its surface composition. These projections give a magnificent fortress image to the tomb by lessening the total size of the wall. The composition feature of the Garabaghlar tomb is its being of 4 head arches. These head arches are arranged in the North, South, West and East directions and give a 4 facade image to the tomb. On all the surfaces of the building, the finely decorated green glazed bricks divide its surface into large squares on a red-brick background. These skew bricks make the rhombs. Inside each of the squares, the words "Allah" and "Bismillah" are written with large green bricks. The word "Allah", written on the whole surface of the tomb by Kufic writing, is repeated over 200 times.

There are two high minarets about 30 meters away from the tomb. These minarets are one of the oldest brick minarets in Azerbaijan. The headspan itself is one of the first examples of the twin minaret headspans not only in our country but also in the architecture of all Islamic countries. Garabaghlar headspan is an unique monument. It is a valuable work of art for a beautiful composition and fine architectural artistic solution.

  Gulustan tomb occupies a special place among Azerbaijani architectural monuments

The director of the Institute of History, Ethnography and Archeology of Nakhchivan Department of ANAS, the correspondent member of ANAS Fakhraddin Safarli writes in his article "Gulustan tomb is one of the most valuable examples of memorial architecture of Azerbaijan", the monument included in the towerformed tombs of Azerbaijan consists of two parts-a vault and a tomb. However, in other tombs, the vault is located underground, but overground in this tomb. The rostrum built of hewed stones which forms the lower part of the tomb has the structure of section pyramid outside but cylindrical structure inside. The upper part consists of twelve towers.

Gulustan tomb is one of the unique examples of Nakhchivan architecture school. The Decree of the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic dated October 7, 2015 “On restoration and investigation of Gulustan tomb, has created wide opportunities to restore and investigate this magnificent tomb. “Gulustan tomb” research group created on the basis of this Decree has discovered new facts about the history of the tomb. The restoration of the tomb has returned it to Azerbaijan as a historical monument.

The monument, which proves Nakhchivan as the second land of creation of humanity: the tomb of Prophet Noah

Nakhchivan, the gate of ancient East is not only one of the ancient settlements of Azerbaijan but also whole world. The direct connection of facts about the Prophet Noah, World storm and his followers to Nakhchivan once again proves the existence of this land in ancient times.

Numerous studies of Nakhchivan Branch employees of ANAS indicate that Ancient Greek scientist Claude Ptolemy remembered Nakhchivan as the residence of Noah prophet for the first time in the II century of our era, the outstanding Arabic scholar of the XI[1] century, geographer-al-Sharif, gave detailed information not only about the remains of Noah Prophet's grave, even his ship, in Nakhchivan. The researches of the Jewish scholar Josephus Flavius, who lived in the first century B.C, also correspond to this truth. The scientist considers the land of Nakhchivan the first land on which Noah's ark landed. Russian researchers I. Chopin, V.Ssoyev and K.N.Smirnov said that Noah's grave was in Nakhchivan. The enlightener K.A.Nikitin, who worked in the Nakhchivan schools in the 80s of the XIX century, gave interesting information about the Noah's flood in Nakhchivan. He noted that after the legendary flood Noah lived in Nakhchivan and was buried there. Even Noah's activity in the salt mines in Nakhchivan is mentioned in the stories among the people. In the beginning of the last century or, more precisely, in the 1919-1920s, the famous realist artist Bahruz Kangarli described the painting of Noah's tomb in Nakhchivan from nature to canvas in six forms.

Information about the existence of this monument in ancient times and the restoration of tomb in the VIII century in the historical literature is very interesting. It was discovered during the investigation that the monument was reconstructed in the Muslim-Seljuk architectural style in the XII century. As a result of weathering, the monument was again destroyed. During the excavations only the foundations of the monument were revealed.

The tomb which faced the eradication was restored in accordance with the Order of the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic “On restoration of the monument of the Prophet Noah in Nakhchivan” in 2006.

The holy place of sheikhs- Khanagah

Khanagah monument complex, one of the examples of Nakhchivan architectural school dates back the XII-XV centuries. The archive materials show that Khanagah functioned in the XVIII as well. The elements of Momuna khatun tomb were used in the entrance headspan of the monument. Fazlullah Naimi, one of the founders of Sufism, who killed in Alinjagala in 1394 was buried in Khanagah by his followers. His tomb is also here.

Khangah was a place of residence, worship and remembrance for a long time, and   continued its activity as a science, education and cultural center in different periods of history.  The point is that the word "khanagah" means "the place, takya where the dervishes lived and worshiped under the leadership of a sheikh or a murshid." This tomb was restored with the attention and care of the leader of the autonomous republic.

The antiquity, the greatness of every nation lives in its monuments. Monuments preserve people, in its turn, people preserve monuments. Therefore, learning and protecting monuments of our history in Nakhchivan has become the aim of citizenship for everyone. As Vasif Talibov, the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of   Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic said: “The history of every land is not only in books, but on its land, buildings and monuments. Those who love their history and their homeland must preserve monuments and transfer them to future generations. Each of us must feel proud of our history, and we must show the whole world that our great ancestors had such a rich history”.

                                                                                    Rauf KANGARLI

“Sharg gapisi” (the gate of the East) newspaper

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