BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 2. The grand opening of the “Uzun Hasan, ruler of the Aghgoyunlu State” exhibition has taken place at the Heydar Aliyev Center, Trend reports.
The event was attended by the Heydar Aliyev Center's Director Anar Alakbarov, Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, government and public figures, representatives of culture and science, the creative intelligentsia, and youth, as well as heads of diplomatic missions and honorary guests from Türkiye.
During the opening ceremony, footage of national leader Heydar Aliyev's speech on Uzun Hasan's historical role was shown.
Amina Malikova, Director of the Event and Exhibition Organization Department at the Heydar Aliyev Center, stressed the significance of the exhibition presented during the "Year of Heydar Aliyev," which commemorates the great leader's 100th birthday.
"The great leader Heydar Aliyev paid special attention to all sciences, especially history, and always advised young people to study history well. The opening of the "Uzun Hasan - ruler of the Aghgoyunlu State" exhibition is a historic event, presenting approximately 80 exhibits from various museums around the world to the Azerbaijani public for the first time," she said.
"Several of these exhibits underwent restoration and conservation by specialists over the course of several months. As part of the project, a book titled "Uzun Hasan - ruler of the Aghgoyunlu State" in Azerbaijani and English languages has been prepared, and an animated film has been produced. I'm confident that the exhibition will generate significant interest among the public," Malikova added.
Visitors can trace the course of the Aghgoyunlu State, formed by the great statesman and military leader Uzun Hasan, and learn about his role in the history of Azerbaijani statehood through the exhibits on display. Visitors will have the opportunity to become acquainted with many unique objects, including those housed in the Istanbul Military Museum (Harbiye Military Museum and Cultural Site Command) and not exported outside Türkiye, which will be shown in Azerbaijan for the first time.
In his remarks, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cahit Bagci underlined that this year marks two significant events: the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijan's national leader, Heydar Aliyev, and the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic.
He expressed gratitude to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for implementing the project.
"The exhibition opening is another manifestation of the fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, a vivid cultural and historical event. The gathered guests, creative personalities, and representatives from various fields are witnesses to a unique event that will allow us to learn more about the historical heritage," Bagci noted.
The head of the Yunus Emre Institute in Türkiye Serif Ates expressed his happiness to visit Azerbaijan and participate in the opening of the exhibition dedicated to Uzun Hasan, whose name is inscribed in Azerbaijan's glorious history.
"Over the past year, we have been working together with the Heydar Aliyev Center on the implementation of this project. Along with our Turkish colleagues, we selected the exhibits for the exhibition. The project epitomizes our fraternal relations, including in the cultural sphere," Ates noted. "I would like to emphasize the high level of relations between the heads of our states - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev of "One nation, two states", as the great leader Heydar Aliyev said about Türkiye and Azerbaijan."
"This exhibition will help everyone, especially the youth, learn about important pages of history," he added.
The Head of the Turkish State Archives Ugur Unal emphasized the importance of implementing the project for the entire Turkic world.
"Our archives house priceless documents and exhibits of historical value, and we are delighted to contribute to the implementation of this project. The commonality of our values and the millions of people we share is a vivid example and serves further collaborative efforts for the benefit of our countries," Unal said.
The guests saw a concert program featuring the Ensemble of Ancient Musical Instruments led by People's Artist Munis Sharifov, the "Mirvari" dance ensemble under the direction of Honored Artist Naila Mamedzade, and the soloist of the "Helikon-Opera" Moscow Musical Theatre Elnara Mammadova.
This year marks the 600th anniversary of the birth of Uzun Hasan, the founder of the Aghgoyunlu State (1423–1478). In honor of this event, the "AzеrGold" CJSC has issued a commemorative banknote, and the "Azerpost" CJSC has issued a postage stamp.
"Uzun Hasan and the Aghgoyunlu State", "Domestic and foreign policy of the Aghgoyunlu State", "Culture and art in the Aghgoyunlu State", "Sara Khatun, the first female diplomat in Azerbaijani history", "Despina Khatun" sections of the exhibition and others provide information about Sultan Uzun Hasan, his mother Sara Khatun, who, through diplomatic negotiations, managed to prevent many wars, as well as information about Uzun Hasan's wife, Despina Khatun, whose beauty captivated everybody.
The "Domestic and Foreign Policy of the Aghgoyunlu State" section informs visitors about the policies pursued by Sultan Uzun Hasan and how he transformed the Aghgoyunlu State from a small principality into a great empire.
The exhibition also features the armor of Uzun Hasan, his son and successor, Sultan Yahya, as well as the weapons used by Azerbaijani warriors in the 15th century. The visitors can also see replicas of Uzun Hasan's sword and dagger, which are part of a private collection and were made using 15th-century techniques, as well as items of archery equipment from that era.
The "Culture and Art in the Aghgoyunlu State" section, holding a special place, presents photo materials reflecting the development of culture, including architecture and art, in the Aghgoyunlu State, as well as copies of miniatures from the Topkapi Palace Museum, to the visitors.
The exhibition includes artifacts from the Aghgoyunlu period from the collections of the National Museum of Azerbaijani History, the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, the Ganja Historical and Local Lore Museum, and the National Library of Azerbaijan.
Based on historical sources, a portrayal of Uzun Hasan was created, including a wax figure dressed in ceremonial attire. This attire was meticulously hand-sewn from rare fabrics and adorned with ornate patterns inspired by the Tabriz miniatures from the 1470s–80s.
Specifically for the exhibition, a portrait of Uzun Hasan and carpets featuring rare Tabriz miniatures from the 15th century were prepared. Additionally, carpets with miniatures from the Aghgoyunlu period, porcelain figurines reflecting the image of Uzun Hasan, coins from the Aghgoyunlu State, ceramic artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations, and copper items are part of the exhibition.
Information related to the Aghgoyunlu State is also presented using multimedia and interactive tools. Visitors can explore the borders of Aghgoyunlu State, trade routes passing through its territory, cities, and magnificent structures using an interactive map. The cinema hall presented a documentary film dedicated to Uzun Hasan, providing a multimedia experience for the audience.
The souvenir section of the exhibition has become one of the places that will also attract the interest of visitors. It presents souvenirs dedicated to Aghgoyunlu State, Uzun Hasan, and other interesting samples.
The exhibition will run until January 17, 2024.
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