Juma Mosque; The Second Oldest Mosque in Caucasus
Juma Mosque is the largest and most influential place for worship in Shamakhi. Shamakhi is a district in Azerbaijan. According to Historians, the mosque built in 743 A.D, 126 years after establishment of Islamic Calendar in the reign of Caliph Khalid ibn Waleed. It old dates facades on the mosque in Arabic langue that makes it second oldest after Juma Mosque of Derbent, which was completed in 734A.D and one of the largest and oldest mosque in Caucasus.. It is the second oldest mosque in Caucasus and oldest in the Azerbaijan. Its latest version built in 2013. It rebuilt many times, the most prominent in 1859’s earthquake that destroyed Shahmakhi’s completely and in 1918 it once again build due to destruction of inter-ethnic clashes in 1918.
It is famous as Juma Mosque of Shamakhi, it is one of the first mosque of Azerbaijan after spread of Islam in Caucasus. Caucasus is the region that lies between Black sea and the Caspian Sea. The Caucasus mountains are considered as the border between Eastern Europe and West Asia. The Caucasus countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and parts of south Russia.
Juma Mosque located in Shahmakhi ,122 kilometres far from west of Baku. Shahmakhi is one of the oldest city of Azerbaijan. Shirvanshahs had shahmakhi as their capital from 6th century to 12th century. In 12th century shahmakhi destroyed by an earthquake and they made Baku as their new capital.
The Juma Mosque reflects unique Arabian architectural style in its construction. Prayer hall divided into three separate sections, each section connected by doors. Each section has a separate mehrab on main entrance while semicircular shaped mehrab are decorated with ornate decorative. The orient worshippers in the right direction to face (towards Mecca) in this place of worship.
Shamakhi is destroyed by earthquakes many times so that Juma Mosque was reconstructed many times, in 1859, the complete Shamakhi was destroyed, the mosque was rebuild after the massacre of 1918 when armed forces of Armenian extremist party –“Dashnakhtsutiun”. They kill 17000 citizens and burned down the whole city. In soviet regime no construction was done. After Azerbaijan got independence, in 2009 Azerbaijan govt. started reconstruction and opened it for public in 2013. It is a worth seeing place for your tourist feeling if you are in Baku.
