The Imamzadeh Complex is an important

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

ic site, located near

Ganja ''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689. Etymology ''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: �aːɲd͡ʒa� ...

, in

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...

. The complex comprises a

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...

that houses the grave of a prominent figure in

Shia Islam Shia Islam is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political Succession to Muhammad, successor (caliph) and as the spiritual le ...

, several

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

s including the Goy Imam Mosque, a garden, gated walls, and various funerary monuments. Located north of Ganja, the complex is a shining example of

Islamic architecture Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both Secularity, secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Muslim world, Islamic world encompasse ...

. The complex is located within the Ganja State Historical and Cultural Reserve.

Background

The main parts of the complex are the tomb building and cemetery. Besides, seven domes, mosque, caravanserai houses, the dome on the entrance gate to the monument (ninth dome), ornaments and inscriptions on the gravestones, pool and other auxiliary buildings along with the main tomb dome, shapes the architectural structure of Imamzadeh Mausoleum.

History

In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, restoration and reconstruction work was carried out in the territory of the Imamzadeh Mausoleum. In the 15th and 16th centuries, as a result of the strengthening of the Shiite, special attention was paid to the construction of large structures, the use of religious attributes, as well as new craftsmanship in the repair and restoration of the mausoleum. Basic information on the restoration of Ganja's ancient monuments, historical buildings, and religious sites dates from the 18th or 19th centuries as the restoration work was carried out by official people. During the reign of Javad Khan (1786–1804), major renovations were led by Karbalai Sadiq, palace architects. Between 1878 and 1879, Nizami Ganjavi mausoleum and the Imamzadeh complex were again reconstructed by the chief of the Second Muslim Riders Regiment of the Tsar Russian Army, Major-General Israfil bey Yadigarzadeh. In 2010–2016, major reconstruction and restoration works were carried out in the Imamzadeh complex, as well as on the Ganja-Zazali road laying to the complex. Totally 31 million manats for restoration of Imamzadeh Mausoleum and 17 million manats for road reconstruction have been sent. of

asphalt Asphalt most often refers to: * Bitumen, also known as "liquid asphalt cement" or simply "asphalt", a viscous form of petroleum mainly used as a binder in asphalt concrete * Asphalt concrete, a mixture of bitumen with coarse and fine aggregates, u ...

cover was laid on the territory of the complex, decorated with ornamental stones, lighting system was installed, infrastructure was created. There are two

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

s, namazgah (place for prayer) and visitor hall with a height of , as well as parking for 500 cars in the area. The first floor of the three-storey main building of the mausoleum is used as a wardrobe. The second floor consists of administrative rooms and the third floor is used as a hotel.

Imamzadeh Mausoleum

The Imamzadeh Mausoleum (), located inside the Goy Imam Mosque, bears the grave of Imamzadeh Ibrahim, son of Imam

Muhammad al-Baqir Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (; ) was a descendant of the prophets and messengers in Islam, Islamic prophet Muhammad and the fifth of the Twelve Imams, twelve Shia imams, succeeding his father, Ali al-Sajjad, and succeeded by his son, Ja'far al-Sad ...

, the fifth Imam of

Shi'a Muslims Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood to ...

. The Imamzadeh Mausoleum was constructed in the 8th century. According to the inscription found inside the mausoleum, the sons of Mohammad al-Baqir, who is considered one of the most sacred personalities of Shia Islam, left their motherland and moved to Azerbaijan and Iran to escape from the ruling circles of the

Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate or Umayyad Empire (, ; ) was the second caliphate established after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. Uthman ibn Affan, the third of the Rashidun caliphs, was also a member o ...

(661-750), who carried out persecution against the family of the Prophet of Islam. Imamzadehs Ibrahim and Ismail came to the cities of Azerbaijan – Barda and Ganja, but they were killed by their enemies. Mausoleums were erected on the graves of Imamzadeh Ismail in Barda, and Imamzadeh Ibrahim in Ganja. The inscription is composed of a small marble plaque on the first floor of the Imamzadeh Tomb.

Architecture

Imamzadeh was originally a grave in the early

. The complex evolved as a mausoleum was constructed above the grave, and then, with the increased importance of the mausoleum as a

sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred space, sacred place, such as a shrine, protected by ecclesiastical immunity. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This seconda ...

, new craftsmanship and architectural elements were added. The mausoleum is the major monument of the complex. This mausoleum shows how many mausoleums acquired cultic architectural features, losing their features of memorial monuments in the 16th-19th centuries. The mausoleum belongs to tower-

cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, usually dome-like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as a lookout. The word derives, via Ital ...

types of buildings. A two-storeyed arch shaped the extension of the mausoleum, surrounding the central kernel from three sides, with a

portal Portal may refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), a series of video games developed by Valve ** ''Portal'' (video game), a 2007 video game, the first in the series ** '' Portal 2'', the 2011 sequel ** '' Portal Stori ...

from the eastern part. This arch dates from the 17th century. A margin of lancet arches with rectangular frames is a peculiar feature of the extension. The mausoleum is built of square bricks. Inside the mausoleum there is a

zarih A zarih (, , ) or ḍarīḥ () is a lattice structure which usually encloses a grave in a mosque or an Islamic shrine. In some cases, it can also surround a religious relic on display. A zarih is built by skilled craftsmen. It can be made out ...

. The mausoleum was constructed using red bricks and features specific to the Arran Architectural School were used. Small dome cells on the right and left sides of the central dome are later added to the monument in the 13th-16th centuries.

Goy Imam Mosque

The Goy Imam Mosque is a large and tall

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

mosque with three

s, that was built over the Imamzadeh Mausoleum. The central dome of the mosque is decorated with floral elements and symbolic characteristic peacock drawings. The central dome differs significantly from others in terms of its structure and dimensions, and is distinguished by its elegant design features. This central dome is called the “Imam Ibrahim dome” and it is high, is in the shape of an ancient helmet (təskulə), with a diameter of . The most prominent part of the Goy Imam Mosque in terms of appearance is the dome and its cylindrical body, decorated with colorful blue and green tiles. The

baklava Baklava (, or ; ) is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine. There are several theories for the origin of th ...

-shaped and other figure ornaments are dark purple. At the same time, it is also possible to find individual greenish tiles. These decorative elements have been added to the monuments in the 14th to 17th centuries. The first floor of the southeastern

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

consists of three arches.

Gallery

Gəncə imamzadə türbəsinin birinci və ikinci mərtəbələrinin planı.jpg, Mausoleum floor plan Ganja.imamzadeh 10.jpg, Restored red brick mausoleum, in 2016 Gəncə imamzadəsi.jpg, The tomb, inside the mausoleum, in 2016 İmamzadə türbəsi (Gəncə) 2.jpg, The complex in 2016, with the exterior of the Imam Ibrahim dome and many other domes Gəncədəki İmamzadə dini kompleksi 32.jpg, Imam Ibrahim dome interior Gəncədəki İmamzadə dini kompleksi 26.jpg, Detail of the mosque exterior, in 2018

References

External links

* * * * {{Mosques in Azerbaijan 8th-century religious buildings and structures Buildings and structures in Ganja, Azerbaijan

Mausoleums in Azerbaijan Mosque buildings with domes in Azerbaijan Mosque buildings with minarets in Azerbaijan Mosques in Azerbaijan Shia mosques in Azerbaijan Tourist attractions in Ganja, Azerbaijan