President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva inspects the major construction and restoration works underway in tourist objects in Gala settlement

Mehriban Aliyeva, the First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP, inspected the major construction and restoration works underway in tourist objects in Qala settlement, February 24.

Heydar Aliyev Foundation plans to perform a project on improvement of the territory around the lake here. The greening works here will allow organizing various events and building a museum here.

Mrs Aliyeva was informed that oil-polluted area has been cleared here.

The President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation inspected restoration of the fortress walls. The rebuilding work was started in summer last year. The Qala Castle dating back to 12-14 centuries has fully been restored. Houses, tombs, other constructions and objects discovered under the Castle, which functioned as a mosque, too, will be restored and stored as parts of the Qala Complex. Settlements, tunnels, secret roads existed in the ancient times in the underground part of the Castle.

Excavations have been carried out here at the initiative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation by the Institute of Archeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. As a result, new historical objects of Bronze Age have been discovered. Enjoying the history of 5 thousand years, the settlement features barrows, tombs, houses, mausoleums, mosques, bathhouses, ruins of ancient castle dating back from the third millennium to XX century.

Then, Mehriban Aliyeva inspected construction of the Qala Copperwares and Antiques Museum. The 3-floor building, foundation of which was laid last June, bases on the collection by Shahid Abdullayev. Experts are working on the theme of the exposition. The Museum complex will include studios and exposition halls.

Mrs Aliyeva was also familiarized with construction of the restaurant. The first floor will function as a cafe, while the second as a restaurant.

The large-scale works done towards the safeguarding of the historical architectural monuments in Qala settlement, new objects constructed here thanks to the care and attention by Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva contribute to the involvement of more tourists in this territory.