The building called “Zaviya” is only in Nakhchivan

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Published on Thursday, 07 September 2017 17:02

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The Zaviya-Madrasah building, known as the historical and architectural monument in the Zaviya neighborhood, at the intersection of Heydar Aliyev Avenue and Tabriz Street of Nakhchivan was previously a mosque. The exterior architecture of the mosque, the plan structure and its unique composition show that it is a product of the rich architectural traditions of the XVII-XVIII centuries. The building’s present interior consists of a large hall, a vestibule adjacent to it, a two-storey two-auxiliary rooms, and a minaret with winding stairs. Since the spherical dome of the hall and other buildings were destroyed, it was replaced by a straight line at the end of the XIX century. Entrance is from the west.

Zaviya as a polysemantic word in Arabian having the meaning lonely place, takiya, cell, corner, angle and as well as it is also one of the place names of the Sufi sects. In “Sayahatname” (travel book) by Evliya Chelebi zaviya was described as “Sufi Dervish Propaganda House”. In some Persian sources, zaviya is mentioned in the meaning of “sacred place”.

In the Middle Ages some sectarian supporters existing in Nakhchivan   did not go to the main mosques, but built private houses for them, lived there, and were busy with praying. Hourufi sectors called such praying places as khanagah, but baktashi and nagshbandilar called it zaviya. Sufi alliance and brotherhood, the ideology of the Hourufis, was called “dervish orders”. Followers of the “Dervish Orders” bektashi and nagshbandi sects were more popular in Nakhchivan at that time. They had special corners to be busy with praying and became zaviyanishin and they used to call their prayer place that they built “zaviya”. On page 203 of the book “Monuments of Nakhchivan School of Azerbaijani Architecture” by A.Salamzadeh and K.Mammadzadeh, we read: “These special dome buildings represented a group of religious organizations called “zaviya” or “takiya” of the feudal period. They were the dwelling houses of Dervish who devoted their lives to worship”.

Construction of such buildings in Nakhchivan also occured during the Atabey period. The history of the neighorbood in which the medieval mosque is located  dates back to the same period. After 1920, when the Soviet power was established in Nakhchivan, the name “zaviya” was forbidden, and the building was used for various purposes. However, the name of the “Zaviya” neighborhood has been preserved in the memory of the people and has come to this day. This name was officially restored by the Decision of the Executive Committee of the Nakhchivan City Council of People’s Deputies on May 17, 1990.

From the beginning of the 1920’s, this building was home to the Women’s House named after Ernest Telman and the Nakhchivan City Pioneers House in the second half of the 1930s. By the way, national leader Heydar Aliyev was a member of chess, music and drama circles organized at the Pioneers House. During the visit to Nakhchivan on October 10-15, 1999, the prominent statesman praised the activity of the building. After the Pioneers House moved to a new three-storey building in 1980, the City Teachers’ House operated here.

In the decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan on July, 1981, “On holding the 100th Anniversary of Husein Javid”, the second stage of the Nakhchivan Theater is the creation of the Poetry-Theater “Javid”, the building was given to the new theater since 1982. The great leader Heydar Aliyev, who arrived in Nakhchivan in October the same year, also visited “Javid” Poetry Theater on the eve of the opening and met with the staff of the ancient art center and congratulated the creative team of the new theater and wished them success.

On November 3, 1982, when the corpse of Husein Javid was brought from Siberia and buried in his native land Nakhchivan, the solemn opening of the Poetry Theater with the performance of famous poet-playwright Kamala Agayeva “My God is beauty, love” took place. Thus, in 1982-1989 “Javid” Poetry Theater operated very efficiently   in this building and gained the audiences’ taste and sympathy.

The beginning of the Armenian aggression in Nakhchivan in January 1990, the instability of socio-political life in the autonomous republic and the blockade conditions resulted in the closure of the theater of poetry. This building was used as a video hall untill 1995.

Until the end of the XX century, the autonomous republic Women’s Council functioned in the building. It should be emphasized that the religious building “Zaviya” is located only in the city of Nakhchivan. The building is protected as a historical monument. Nakhchivan Tourism Information Center has been operating in this building since 2012 which was capitally restored in 2008.

                                                                            Gulnara SADIGOVA

                      Director of Nakhchivan Tourism Information Center

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