Shusha in the Graphics of Elturan Avalov

Artist - architect, Honoured Art Worker of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture, professor Elturan Avalov was born in 1940 in Baku. In 1963, he graduated from the Architecture Department of the Azerbaijan Polytechnic Institute. He participated in more than 30 International, Republican and personal exhibitions. He has been elected a full member of the International Academy of Architecture for Eastern Countries and the International Energy Academy since 1999. He has been a member of the Artists’ Union of Azerbaijan since 2005, and Azerbaijan Caricaturists’ Union and International Society of Caricature Artists (FECO) since 2006. His works decorate the exhibits of Azerbaijani and Russian museums, as well as are in private collections in the USA, England, Israel, Norway, Spain, Greece, Philippines, Lebanon and India.

Eldaniz Babayev
Director of Baku Art Gallery

Elturan Avalov paid special attention on form and composition in his work “Shusha Graphics” and was able to skilfully reflect the houses, neighbourhoods, mosques and squares of the historic city of Azerbaijan - Shusha. The compositional diversity and completeness of form of the appearance of separate neighbourhoods of Shusha drawn with ordinary pencil and touch are the product of the author’s sleepless nights and hard work. Elturan Avalov, who has spent different years of his life in Shusha since his childhood and knows every neighbourhood of this city, in fact gave artistic capacity to his impressions from his memory in his childhood and youth. The main purpose of Elturan Avalov is to show the world the architectural history, artistic beauty of Shusha, which is an integral part of Azerbaijan and is created by the hands of local Azerbaijani artists.

Eldaniz Babayev
Director of Baku Art Gallery

Shusha was a cultural and commercial centre and maintained trade relations with many countries in the East and Europe. Shusha had an extraordinarily beautiful nature. There are 17 neighbourhoods in the city: Seyidli, Julfalar, Guyulug, Chukhur neighbourhood, Dord Chinar, Dordlar gurdu, Haji Yusifli, Cholgala, Gurdlar, Saatli, Kocharli, Mamayi, Khoja Marjanli, Damirchilar, Hamamgabaghi, Merdinli and Taza mahalla. The names of all the neighbourhoods in the city belonged to the Azerbaijani Turks who created this city. In each neighbourhood, there were a bath, a mosque, and a spring. In addition to the natural fortress, the city itself was surrounded by magnificent castle walls. The entrance to-exit from the city was through the gates of Ganja, Aghoghlan and Yerevan.

Eldaniz Babayev
Director of Baku Art Gallery

The great grandfather of Zohrabbayovs is Zohrab bay. Zohrab bay was born about 1757 in Shusha city. The descendants of Zohrab bay carry the surname of Zohrabbayov. Zohrabbayovs had a big 3-storeyed property in Shusha city.

Chol Gala Neighbourhood is one of down neighbourhoods of Shusha built in the 18th century. The neighbourhood is called like this, as it was the closest to the Castle walls. Like other neighbourhoods, this neighbourhood also had a mosque, a bath, a small square and a spring. Khurshidbanu Natavan’s Palace, Asad bay Javanshir’s Palace Complex, Khan Shushinski’s House, the property of Uzeyir Hajibeyov’s father are located in this neighbourhood.

Haji Yusifli Neighbourhood is one of the down neighbourhoods of Shusha built in the 18th century. The neighbourhood took its name from the well-known divanbayi Haji Yusif agha Mughanli Haji Rahim agha. Like other neighbourhoods, this neighbourhood also had a mosque, a bath, a small square and a spring. In addition to the neighbourhood’s mosque, the famous Azerbaijani poet Gasim bay Zakir’s house, Ashagi Govhar agha Mosque Complex is also in this neighbourhood.

Until the 70s of the 19th century, there was a problem of drinking water in Shusha. In 1873, Khan’s daughter Natavan cause to build a water pipeline from the Saribaba Mountain to Shusha in order to provide the population with drinking water. As that water pipeline was built with pottery pipes, the water was cool.

Ashaghi Govhar agha Mosque is Juma Mosque located in Gapan Square in Shusha city. The mosque was registered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a historical and cultural monument of state importance. The mosque is first mentioned in the master plan of Shusha belonging to 1855 with a madrasah located near. In 1874-1875, major reconstruction works were carried out in Ashaghi Mosque Complex. As the construction of the new mosque was carried out by architect Karbalayi Safikhan Karabaghi with the financial support of Govhar agha, later Ashaghi Mosque was also known as the Ashaghi Govhar agha Mosque.

Saatli Mosque is a historical mosque located in Saatli neighbourhood of Shusha city. The mosque was built in 1883 by architect Karbalayi Safikhan Karabaghi. The monument is considered one of the last works of the architect. The mosque was registered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a historical and cultural monument of state importance.

Mamayi Neighbourhood - one of the upper neighbourhoods of Shusha built in the 19th century. It is located in the centre of the city. Like other neighbourhoods of Shusha, there were a mosque, a spring, a small square and a bath.

Gara Boyukkhanim Castle is a historical palace located in the historic centre of Shusha city. Although sources tell us about several palaces in the territory of Shusha fortress, only two of them - Gara Boyukkhanim Castle and Panahali khan Palace have reached our days. The inscription on the entrance gate of Gara Boyukkhanim Castle shows that it was built in 1182 in Hijri calendar (1768)

This house, in which the world famous Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibayov was born and grew up in Shusha, was built in the 19th century. Uzeyir Hajibayov’s Museum was established here in 1959 and operated until the occupation of Shusha by the Armenian armed forces on May 8, 1992. Items personally belonging to U. Hajibayov were brought from the exhibits of the museum to Baku. In addition to the household items belonging to Hajibayovs family, personal items, photos, books of Uzeyir bay and books dedicated to him and donated to the museum had an important place in the exposition. In 1985, the 100th anniversary of Uzeyir Hajibayov was widely celebrated by UNESCO, guests from many countries visited U. Hajibayov’s house-museum in Shusha, major anniversary events were held here.

Khan’s daughter Natavan’s House is a historical and architectural monument belonging to the 18th century in Shusha city. On the first floor of the building there are seven rooms, which are serviceable and intended for the living of the servants. There are three entrance gates in the south. Among them, the gate in the middle leads to the corridor, and the other two gates - to the side rooms. Natavan’s Palace also has a courtyard covering a big territory and a variety of service facilities in this courtyard. It was built by the architect Karbalayi Safikhan Karabaghi. On October 10, 1932, Shusha Music School was established and functioned in the building which was the house of Khan’s daughter Natavan. After the occupation of Shusha by Armenian armed forces in 1992, Natavan’s Palace was destroyed and turned into ruins.

Ganja Gate or Chilabord Gate is one of the three main gates of Shusha fortress and is located in the north of the fortress. The other two gates of the fortress are the Gates of Yerevan and Aghoghlan. The gate, built during the rule of Panahali khan, has already been called Ganja Gate or Chilabord Gate since the 18th century. The way from Shusha fortress through this gate connects the city with Ganja city and Chilabord region of the Karabakh khanate. After the annexation of the Karabakh khanate to the Russian Empire in 1805, the Ganja Gate began to be called as Elizavetpol Gate due to the renaming of Ganja to the Elizavetpol (1804).

Mashadi Shukur Mirsiyab caused to build a large hall on the second floor of the two-storey caravanserai belonging to the 19th century for the purpose of the mosque. Built near the central square of the city, this caravanserai with a mosque differs from other caravansaries by its size and architectural solution. The rooms on the first floor of Mashadi Shukur Mirsiyab’s caravanserai was formerly used as a shop, and the spacious and light rooms on the second floor were allotted for administrative works, entertainment of guests and other services. As there was a mosque in the caravanserai, the Muslim merchants sought to rest here. Its architect was the famous Karabakh architect Karbalayi Safikhan Karabaghi. After the occupation by Armenian armed forces in 1992, the caravanserai building was damaged.

Molla Panah Vagif’s Tomb is located in Shushacity, Azerbaijan. Construction of the tomb was completed in 1982 and Heydar Aliyev, the then-president of Azerbaijan, attended the opening of the monument.
The tomb was built based on the project of the full member of ANAS, doctor of art criticism A.V.Salamzada and the honoured architect, candidate of architecture E.I.Kanukov.
The tomb stands magnificently on the rocky hill where the poet was tragically killed and buried, on the south-west side of Shusha, on the famous Jidir Plain, where holiday celebrations and competitions were held. After the occupation of Shusha in 1992 by Armenian armed forces, the tomb was damaged and it is currently in poor condition.

The famous Azerbaijani opera singer Bulbul’s house in Shusha was a branch of his memorial museum in Baku until 1992. The house consisted of two rooms and a balcony. Bulbul was born in this house and spent his childhood years here, stepping into the music world for the first time, listening to famous singers and musicians. As a result of the occupation of Shusha city by Armenian armed forces on May 08, 1992, over 10 thousand exhibits were destroyed and plundered.