AGHDAM, Azerbaijan, September 20. The Armenian occupation had almost destroyed the Imarat Complex in Aghdam city, Italian Restoration Expert Alessandro Bianchi told Trend.
He made the statement while getting acquainted with the complex.
"We have stumbled across a horrific situation. The whole region was in ruins. We put in a lot of time and energy to figure out how to fix up the ruined cemetery and complex building. We contacted the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences' Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology for assistance in retracing the original burial sites, as we had entirely lost track of them," he emphasized.
The expert also pointed out that last year significant work was done to restore the Imarat Complex building. At the same time, options for resolving the issue for the rest of the area were explored.
"We are very pleased with the results of the work. Now, this monument, which is important to the history of Azerbaijan, has been returned to the authorities and stands as a symbol of the country's rebirth and recovery after the war," he added.
To note, the Imarat Complex, one of the historical and architectural structures in the Aghdam district, which includes the palace of Panahali Khan, the founder of the Karabakh Khanate, suffered vandalism by Armenia. The 18th-century architectural monument was a lavish residence, distinct from other khan palaces in Azerbaijan.
The complex contains the gravestones of Panahali Khan, Ibrahim Khalil Khan, his son Mehdi Gulu Khan (the last ruler of Karabakh), and Mehdi Gulu Khan's daughter, the prominent poet and artist Khurshidbanu Natavan. Other notable figures of the Karabakh khans’ family were buried in the complex’s cemetery. Following the occupation of Aghdam, the cemetery was targeted by Armenian vandalism, and the gravestone of Ibrahim Khalil Khan and the memorial monument of Khurshidbanu Natavan were destroyed.
Under President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s decree, restoration and archaeological work began in 2023 with the involvement of local and international experts. The 3.3-hectare complex now features ceremonial buildings, mausoleums, a historical cemetery, a horse-riding complex for showcasing Karabakh horses, and a visitor center.
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