Taking into account its exceptional universal value, unique landscape, high architectural and engineering solution, as well as its location in the territory of the two countries, the Republic of Azerbaijan intends to implement joint measures with the Islamic Republic of Iran to include Khudafar Bridges in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The State Service for Protection, Development and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture reported.
It should be noted that on October 18 this year, the brave Azerbaijani Army liberated the bridges of Khudafar, a world-famous historical and architectural monument located in the Jabrayil region, occupied by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia in 1993. After 27 years, the tricolor flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan was hoisted on Khudafer's bridges again.
Khudafar Bridges, one of the great engineering structures of its time, is a magnificent historical monument located on the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Khudafar's bridges connect the northern and southern banks of the Araz River. 11 arched bridges (inv. 12) located on the historical Silk Road were built in the XI-XII centuries, and 15 arched bridges (inv. 13) in the XIII century. Khudafer's bridges, one of the unique monuments of Azerbaijani architecture, are considered to be one of the most magnificent and famous bridges in the Middle East.
Khudafar's bridges played an important role in the development of the Great Silk Road and were of exceptional military-strategic importance.
It is believed that the 15-span bridge was built on the supports of another bridge built in ancient times. The favorable geographical location, ie the fact that the shores are surrounded by rocks, created the conditions for the construction of the bridge here. Although the arches of the bridge were made of baked bricks, river stone was used as a filler.
Shaved rock was used as the construction material for the 11-span bridge, which is 750 meters away from the 15-span bridge.
After the occupation of the Jabrayil region by the Armenian armed forces in 1993, Khudafar's bridges were destroyed. The Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 1954, the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of 1972, and the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Archaeological Heritage This is a clear violation of the 1992 European Convention and other norms of international law, as well as the continuation of the aggressive policy of this country.
We are confident that the brave Azerbaijani Army will soon liberate all our occupied lands and restore our lands and all historical and cultural monuments, which were destroyed for about 30 years, in accordance with the activities of our state in this area.
