Three years pass since liberation of Khudafarin Bridge

Today, October 18, is the third anniversary of the liberation of the ancient Khudafarin Bridge in the Jabrayil district and the surrounding areas from the occupation of the Armenian Armed Forces, Report mentions.

On October 18, 2020, Azerbaijan cleared the bridge over the Araz River on the Iranian border from Armenian aggressors. Along with Khudafarin, two other villages of the Jabrayil district - Hajili and Haji Isaqli - were released from the occupiers.

The glorious tricolor flag of Azerbaijan was hoisted in the liberated territories.

The 11-arched Khudafarin Bridge, built in the style of the Azerbaijani school of architecture, is the remains of an 11th-12th century bridge over the Araz River on the Iran-Azerbaijan border. The bridge is made of stone and covered with well-carved large stone slabs. Researchers believe that it was rebuilt on the remains of an ancient bridge in the 13th century, during the reign of the Elkhanids (Hulakus). The bridge is about 130 meters in length, 6 meters in width, and 12 meters above river level. At present, three middle arches have endured, and the coastal arches were destroyed by the decision of the USSR in the 30s of the XX century.

Khudafarin, with fifteen arches, dates back to the 13th century. According to Hamdallah Qazvini, it was built in the fifteenth year of the Hijri calendar (639 CE) by Abdullah ibn Bakr, a close ally of the Prophet Muhammad. As the supports of the bridge arches rise on natural grounds - rocks, the crossings are of different sizes and freely arranged. The bridge, built of baked bricks and river stones, is about 200 meters in length, 4.5 meters in width, and 12 meters above river level.

Detailed information about Khudafarin Bridges, which is located on the Silk Road, can be found in historical sources. These bridges witnessing history, played an important role as a means of communication in ancient and medieval times and were the main hub of the migration route of the Azerbaijani lands from the south to Karabakh.

Historically, Khudafarin bridges connecting the north and south of Azerbaijan are also considered symbolic monuments. This magnificent monument of the Azerbaijani school of architecture has attracted the attention of many historians worldwide. Khudafarin bridges are one of the best examples of Azerbaijani architects' exceptional engineering skills. According to many researchers, it is called "Khudafarin" because the supports of the bridges are built on natural rocks in the middle of the river. These bridges have played a significant role in the development of Azerbaijan's economic and cultural ties with India, the Middle East, Russia, and Western Europe.

Twenty-seven years later, the Azerbaijani flag was hoisted on Khudafarin in the Jabrayil district, occupied by the Armenian armed forces in 1993. Having achieved brilliant victories in Karabakh, the victorious Azerbaijani Army returned this valuable monument to us - the true owner. Thus, October 18, 2020, was written in our history as another glorious day.

At present, the construction of Khudafarin and Maiden Tower hydro junctions and hydroelectric power stations on the Araz River is underway.

Six days after Azerbaijan's victory over the enemy in the Patriotic War, on November 16, 2020, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited the liberated Jabrayil district. The President raised the glorious Azerbaijani flag in Jabrayil and Khudafarin Bridge. The raising of our flag by the President on the historic Khudafarin Bridge is a source of pride for the people of Azerbaijan. Khudafarin, engraved in our people's history, was also a matter of national pride.

Upon the relevant decrees signed by President Ilham Aliyev on December 24, 2020, and June 24, 2021, a group of servicemen was awarded the "For the liberation of Jabrayil" medal. Tens of thousands of servicemen who demonstrated personal courage and bravery by participating in the military operations for the district's liberation, including the Khudafarin Bridge, were awarded the medal “For the Liberation of Jabrayil.”

On May 4 of this year, President Ilham Aliyev participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Khudafarin settlement in the Jabrayil district. The settlement is built near the Khudafarin bridge, which is of historical importance for the Azerbaijani people, 7 kilometers from the new railway line and highway, the total planned area is 25 hectares. According to the master plan, 149 houses will be built here in the future. It is planned to build 20 houses in the settlement in the first stage. Private houses with two, three, four and five rooms will be built there. The yard area of each house will be 600 square meters. First of all, 77 residents will be moved to the settlement.