Pir Huseyn sacred place – The sacred place around the tomb of Pir Huseyn Shirvani - great sufi sheikh, remarkable scientist, philosopher, played important role in formation of Islam-philosophic world outlook in scientific philosophy ideas period in Azerbaijan, is located in Hajigabul district area, 127 km away from Baku, on the bank of Pirsaat river, at the ancient Baku-Salyan trade karvan road. Being the state important monument from the point of view of the perfect architecture-space solution, the weight of functional load Pir Huseyn sacred place takes the high position among the sacred places on the territory of Azerbaijan. The tomb, mosque, minaret, buildings for the visitors to stay, stable, castle fences surrounding the buildings, karvansara, the tomb concerning to the middle ages, small rooms and the ancient cemetery enter the sacred place complex. All the internal walls of Piri Huseyn tomb and the box inside of this room have been decorated with the special sort ornaments of glazed art decorated with writings in a very great art mastership in former times. Sheikh Pir Huseyn Shirvani’s tomb was constructed joint to the castle wall of the north-west side on the architecture complex. The completion date of tomb’s rich decoration works was shown on the inscription - 684 year by hijra (1285). The glazed decoration in the interior of the small tomb of Sheikh Pir Huseyn, so much necessary for the sanctuary and creating very affecting motivating atmosphere, made this tomb famous in the world. This divine motivating atmosphere formulated by ornaments, writings and colors, gives great psychological emotional spirit and deep faith to the visitors coming to the sacred place. The big stone inscription placed above the entrance door written in suls handwriting informs that: “Located in great Sheikh Pir Huseyn sacred place this minaret’s construction was carried out during fair padishah Menku Buga Khagani period by the means and with the assistance of Argun agha. The information about construction of this tomb in 654 year by hijra/1256 year during the period of Shirvanshah Akhsita II was shown on the stone inscription above the eight faced base of the cylindrical hull minaret. The information “Minaret’s architect was Shamsaddin Mohammad Abdul Abbas, Mahmud ibn Ibrahim” was scraped on another stone board. These inscriptions show that the minaret’s construction had begun in 1256 year during Shirvanshah Akhsita and was completed during his son Garshasb in 1294 year. The sale process of the glazed decorations of the sanctuary since the II half of the XIX century till the beginning of the XX century to Europe museums and private collections, made it famous all over the world. Ter-Avetisyan, who carried out the investigation works in the sanctuary in 1906-07 years, had stolen part of the glazed decorations. In 1923 year the broker M.Kalakyan and madam Dufantyu from Paris with six inhabitants from Gubaly-Baloghlan village had pulled out part of the glazed decorations and sold them by auction in Paris. The most destroying blow to Pir Huseyn Sanctuary was bet by S.Lalayan’s band of robbers during the genocide on our territory in 1918 year. Armenian arms didn’t satisfy with the breaking the inscription boards, more than that they didn’t leave this unique memorial work of art till reducing it to ruins. Most of the big panno’s star and crosses have been taken to Sankt-Petersburg in 1925 year. 123 chandelier stars, 325 turquoise cross boards and other small glazed fragments taken from the sanctuary are preserved in State Hermitage collections. On October 1936 year only three small fragments of the chandelier decoration were left in the sanctuary and they have been sent to Literature museum named after Nizami with the alter in 1940 year. 5 boards of tomb scripts are preserved in this museum. The construction of Pirsaat water warehouse by the project of Akapyan near the sanctuary in the 50-th years of the XX century has also been a serious blow for the sanctuary. The water is regularly percolating and creates the wetness which brings to corrosion of the sanctuary buildings.

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