Zaha Hadid's impressive Hyder Ali Centre in Baku.

You just cannot miss this huge extravagant building with its brilliant white rolling curving walls, its massive number of glass windows (the cleaning company has an enviable task) and its length from one end to the other side. its unique and typical of Azerbaijan when they want to make a statement. In this country of boom and bust, prosperity can be at your doorstep overnight and can be snatched away just as quickly, depending upon who is in power !  Invading armies, oppressive ideologies and nosy neighbours have ruled Azerbaijan’s territory around for centuries, each taking its turn to pillage the country of its oil wealth. As in the other Caucasus countries, the brief periods of sovereignty in between are now looked back on as the Golden Period. We went to the main entrance but were forced to go to the side door as there was some major conference taking place. A long detour but we could see the breadth of the building and the grandiose design.  This looks like a keel of a boat!

You go through a long passage and come face to face with this extraordinarily long loom and a carpet in progress. In this foyer, there is a large bronze and granite sculpture and two antique cars – a Citroen and a Packard. One wonders at their relevance. After going through the whole building, every floor, every gallery, we realised that there need not be any linkage at all to the next exhibit. Every gallery had something unique and unusual. Every artist came from across the world. If its good, exhibit it. Independent since 1991, contemporary Azerbaijan is considered with a new sense of permanence. The state has set foundations that cannot be uprooted – most notably via ambitious civic projects that have re-shaped the city’s skyline. Be it the Three Tall Towers, the Carpet Museum, The huge Winged Mall, The Remembrance Arch, the Martyrs Wall… the list of creative structures is growing in Baku. Add to that this unique building …….The Heydar Aliyev Centre in downtown Baku is a signature of Azerbaijan’s self-authored modernity – a symbol of stability and forward momentum.

Designed by the famous late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, the eye-catching Heydar Aliyev Centre opened in 2012. Its astonishing curved, wave-like shape and innovative use of space have turned it into an icon of modern Azerbaijan. In 2014 the stunning structure, which doesn't have a single straight line, won the London Design Museum's prestigious Design of the Year Award. 

The building aims to be a place that is open to anyone regardless of gender, race and origin and that brings people together united by shared ideas. And besides its extraordinary appearance, it’s also a world-class exhibition and museum complex where you’ll find a wide range of permanent and temporary curations showcasing the best of local and global arts and culture. 

Among the permanent collections, there's a museum exploring the life and legacy of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, a Mini Azerbaijan exhibition displaying miniature versions of the country's key landmarks, and even a very unique collection of classic cars. 

In addition, the Centre also has a stylish cafeteria as well as a state-of-the-art auditorium that hosts international conferences and events. 

What's more, the surrounding area is effectively a large green park where, in warmer months, you can walk, relax and get away from the urban hustle and bustle.

There are many galleries, each with many exhibits, all well captioned in Azerbaijani and English. I have shown photos of the dolls, the clowns, the carpets, the fruit and peppers, the strange metal sculptures. I could not take photographs of the excellent musical instruments section as it was too dark – every wind and string instrument was shown and its origins explained. There were some strange items too which I had never seen before. Our santoor and its maestro Shiv Kumar Sharma featured too.

Seeing the dolls exhibits and their size and features, you realize how much time and effort has gone into making them so well and in such detail. .

This para here refers to an exhibit which could not be photographed.  

The carpet section was awesome. Really beautiful works, so delicately crafted. See my blog on the Carpet Museum where I have featured, in the first half of the blog, some of the carpets from here. Every detail is visible in the carpet – the eyes, the face, the expressions, the stream flowing by, life as it is lived. One can stand there for hours and examine each detail, and not get tired.  

The building is joyful and dynamic; you’re allowed to walk on its perfectly manicured grass lawns and clamber up the sides of its enveloping walls. Best of all, no one will tell you off for taking photos.

Text and photographs copyright of the author. No part of this article or photographs maybe transmitted or reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Do contact the author on email -- helpthesun@gmail.com

The Blue Mosque in Yerevan - the only surviving mosque in Armenia.

We had a free day without guide or driver, so using the Bolt app, we got a cab and went back to the Open Market to buy some items and then to see this small but beautiful mosque. From the pavement outside, you don’t get any idea of the considerable space inside! You need to descend quite a few steps near the entrance to reach the mosque area. 

This modest, historic mosque in Yerevan was originally constructed in the 18th century. It’s called the Blue Mosque because blue is the dominant colour found at the entrance and on the tiles.

Construction for the Blue Mosque began in the 18th century during the Persian reign over Armenia. 

The mosque was modelled after Persian mosques, and it follows the traditions of the Twelver Shiite branch of Islam.

Presently, it is the only remaining mosque in Armenia. The others were either abandoned or demolished.

At the time when the Blue Mosque was being constructed, Yerevan was merely a provincial town of around 20,000 inhabitants. A few decades after it was finished, Yerevan and Eastern Armenia fell under the rule of the Russian Empire following the Russo-Persian Wars of 1826-1828.

We began from the left side of the entrance and came to this hall with a beautiful mosaic ceiling and large chandelier.

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Inside was an exhibition of photographs of Islamic monuments from across the world. Whilst there were no English captions, one could appreciate the beauty of the structures. This hall also had the library. 

The Persian library of over 8,000 items, named after the poet Hafez was opened inside the complex in October 2014. On December 10, 2015, the government of Armenia leased the mosque complex to the embassy of Iran to Armenia for 99 years to use it as a cultural centre. 

There are gardens inside the entrance to the Blue Mosque. These gardens are brimming with a variety of flowers and trees. There are fountains and benches and it is a very relaxing and chilled out place to spend an hour or two in if you’re looking to relax in a blissful environment.

Since restoration, it has become a religious and cultural centre for the Iranians residing in Armenia and Iranian tourists visiting Armenia.

The Blue Mosque during the Soviet occupation went through tough times. The Soviet Union had very strict secular policies. This meant that many religious institutions and buildings had to cease religious ceremonies and work. This extended to the Blue Mosque too. During the Soviet rule, the Blue Mosque housed the Museum of The City of Yerevan.

That is possibly the main reason why it didn’t have the same fate as the other mosques in Yerevan. By 1931, religious ceremonies were no longer allowed, and all of the other mosques had to be abandoned or demolished. Of more than 10 mosques which existed in Yerevan, the Blue Mosque was the only one to survive the secular Soviet policies.

Once the Soviet Union collapsed, it became immediately clear that the Blue Mosque was in need of serious renovations. That’s why an enormous radical restoration effort went underway as soon as it was possible. That effort was funded by Iran, but it was not well-received by the critics of the restoration. 

Going further, one came across the prayer hall. Its access was barred. 

Although it was claimed that the original Islamic spirit was not preserved and restored as it should have been, Islamic religious services have resumed in the mosque. 

Since it was home to the Museum of the City of Yerevan, the museum eventually received its own building.

Wikipedia -- “The mosque is listed by the Armenian government as a monument of national significance. It is "one of the oldest buildings in central Yerevan" and the "only extant building of the Iranian period in Yerevan." The historian of Islamic art Markus Ritter described it as the "main model for the early Qajar mosque architecture of the Iranian period."  The mosque complex covers an area of 7,000 square metres (75,000 sq ft). The mosque itself is 97 by 66 metres (318 ft × 217 ft), while the courtyard is 70 by 47 metres (230 ft × 154 ft).  Its dome design, tile patterns, brickwork and color scheme, and the layout of the main prayer area set it apart from both Sunni and Ottoman mosques. The mosque contains the traditional Shia attributes, including a minaret, three prayer halls, holy inscriptions, etc”.

“The building demonstrates a noticeable connection to Iranian architectural traditions, especially with its façade design. Its continuous and refined façade, united by a double arcade, reflects the characteristics of early Qajar mosques, including the Dar ul-Ihsan Mosque at Sanandaj, the Jameh Mosque at Qom, and the Sardar Mosque and School at Qazvin. The mosque includes 24 arched cells that face the pool in the middle of the courtyard, which is surrounded by a rose garden. The minaret, standing at 24 metres (79 ft) tall, has a 7-degree slope, but is considered to be architecturally safe”. 

Around the square, across from the Exhibition, in 2 or 3 of the cells, we saw this awesome exhibition of Iranian art – silver, copper, ceramic, brass, metal work, embroidery etc. There is no large signage to showcase these pieces. Finally, the last four cells had a shop selling various tourist kitsch. 

 

Hidden behind this wall, one would not have seen this gem which apart from its religious significance also has an excellent small representative collection of Iranian cultural artistic heritage. If in Yerevan, you must visit. 

Text and photographs copyright of the author. No part of this article or photographs maybe transmitted or reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Do contact the author on email -- helpthesun@gmail.com