18th century Azerbaijani mosque in Qubadli
The Mamar Mosque (Azerbaijani: Məmər məscidi) — a historical and architectural monument from the 18th century, is a mosque located in the village of Mamar in the Qubadlı district of Azerbaijan.
The mosque was included in the list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of local importance by the decision No. 132 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dated August 2, 2001.
About
The Mamar Mosque was built in the 18th century in the village of Mamar in the Qubadlı district of Azerbaijan.[1]
After the Soviet occupation in Azerbaijan, an official campaign against religion began in 1928.[2] In December of that year, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan transferred many mosques, churches, and synagogues to clubs for educational purposes.[3] While there were 3,000 mosques in Azerbaijan in 1917, this number decreased to 1,700 by 1927, 1,369 by 1928, and just 17 by 1933.[3][4] The Mamar Mosque was also closed for worship during this period, and the building was used as a storage facility.[5]
After Azerbaijan regained its independence, the mosque was reopened for worship in 1991. However, on August 31, 1993, the Qubadlı district, including the village of Məmər, was occupied by Armenian armed forces.[6] Following the occupation, the mosque was destroyed, with its interior and roof completely demolished.[7]
On August 2, 2001, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan included the mosque in the list of immovable historical and cultural monuments of local importance by decision No. 132.[8]
During the Second Karabakh War, on October 30, 2020, it was announced that the village of Mamar in the Qubadlı district had been liberated from occupation.[9][10]
Conversion to a piggery
After the village was liberated, it was revealed that during the occupation, Armenians had turned the 18th-century Mamar Mosque into a pigsty, using the building to house pigs.[11][12][13] On November 6, 2020, Hikmət Hacıyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, addressed this issue on his Twitter account.[14][15] He noted that the 18th-century religious and cultural monument had been desecrated by Armenia during the occupation by being converted into a pigsty, and called on UNESCO, ISESCO, and the OIC to strongly condemn these actions.[16][17] Later, in November 2020, Qənirə Paşayeva, a member of the Azerbaijani National Assembly and Chair of the Cultural Committee, also urged UNESCO and ISESCO to issue an official statement regarding this and similar incidents on behalf of the committee members.[18]
On November 11, 2020, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its concern regarding the destruction of Islamic places of worship in Azerbaijan's occupied territories, referring to the destroyed Məmər Mosque as evidence of Armenia's policy of aggression.[19]
In April 2021, the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles released a short film in English, highlighting the crimes committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan and its policy of erasing Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage and residential areas.[20][21] The film noted that 63 out of 67 mosques in the Azerbaijani territories formerly occupied by Armenian Armed Forces had been desecrated and destroyed. It specifically mentioned the Zangilan Mosque, the Juma Mosque in Aghdam, and the Məmər Mosque in Qubadlı, where cattle and pigs were kept, and included photos and videos documenting these actions.[20][21]
See also
References
39°15′08″N 46°41′44″E / 39.252347°N 46.695520°E / 39.252347; 46.695520
