Salyan Ulu Camii

Friday Mosque — a mosque and historical-architectural monument from the 19th century located in the city of Salyan, Azerbaijan.

The mosque was included in the list of locally significant immovable historical and cultural monuments by the decision No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated August 2, 2001.

History

Salyan Friday Mosque was built in 1865 in the city of Salyan. On the inscription above the mosque it is noted that it was constructed in 1283 (1865 in the Gregorian calendar) by master Kerbalayi Ali Akbar in honor of Haji Mehdi's son Agahuseyn. It is said that the architect of the mosque, originally from Ardabil, Kerbalayi Ali Akbar, built mosques both in India and in Ardabil. There are two stone inscriptions on the side walls of the mosque entrance and one stone inscription inside.

After the Soviet occupation in Azerbaijan, an official campaign against religion began in 1928. In December of that year the Azerbaijan Communist Party Central Committee handed over many mosques, churches and synagogues to clubs for educational purposes. If there were 3,000 mosques in Azerbaijan in 1917, the number fell to 1,700 in 1927, 1,369 in 1928, and 17 in 1933. Salyan Friday Mosque was also closed for worship during this period. Six of the mosque's 21 domes were dismantled under the name of “road construction” and the mosque building was used as a warehouse. Later a district art gallery was located there.

After the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence, the mosque resumed its activity in 1992. The mosque was included in the list of locally significant immovable historical and cultural monuments by the decision No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated August 2, 2001.

In 2003, as a result of the impact of groundwater caused by the flooding of the Kura River, 9 domes of the mosque collapsed and it became unusable. In 2010–2012, the mosque was restored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and handed over for use by the faithful.

Architecture

The mosque, whose walls are faced with stone slabs, has a courtyard area of 21 × 20 meters, and an interior area of 21 × 12 meters. The mosque formerly had 21 domes. The domes rested on columns made of 10 stone slabs. The interior walls are made of red brick. Its minaret is 8 meters high. The pulpit is wooden and has five steps.