mosque’s dome and walls were severely damaged during the attack on Baku by the Armenian
nationalists in 1918.
Within a short period of time, a new building of the mosque with the capacity for 100
worshippers, equipped with ablution facilities, men and women sections, rooms for clerics,
constant water supply and catering unit was erected and placed at the local community’s
disposal.
The Hazrati Zeynab Mosque in Ganja was renovated in 2006.
In 2007, the Russian Orthodox Church in Baku was thoroughly renovated in the
framework of the Project.
In September 2008, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Heydar
Aliyev Foundation and the Roman Catholic Congregation. Along with the implementation of
development and reconstruction projects in certain areas and support to social and religious
centers, the Memorandum specifies a series of activities promoting ethnic and cultural
development of various ethnic groups residing in Azerbaijan. As an initial step of this
cooperation, ceiling of the St. Mary Roman-Catholic Church in Baku was adorned with classic
ecclesiastical murals. Meanwhile, a ceramic panel was mounted on the church’s facade.
The Juma (Friday) Mosque at Baku’s suburb of Buzovna was reconstructed in 2009.
Construction of the mosque initiated back in 1896, was suspended in 1900 and then used
as a shop and a warehouse in the Soviet period. Upon reconstruction, besides the mosque with
the total area of 500 square meters, administrative and supporting units were erected together
with ablution rooms for men and women, and other facilities.
In the framework of the “Azerbaijan - the Hub of Tolerance” Project, extensive
reconstruction of the old Juma (Friday) Mosque in Shamakhy was launched. The original Juma
Mosque, erected in 743, was a unique architectural landmark indeed. The second-oldest
religious center in the South Caucasus, it was the first in its kind in the territory of modern
Azerbaijan. Severely destroyed by the earthquake of 1859, the mosque was rebuilt to be severely
damaged again as a result of another devastating earthquake in 1902. In 1909 the mosque was
restored to its original view pursuant to the design by Z.Ahmadbayov, the first trained
Azerbaijani architect originating from Shamakhy, and J.Ploshko, a civil engineer of a Polish
descent. The renovation currently going on in the mosque is based on a modified version of the
original design.
In June 2009, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation provided financial support to the renovation
of five stained-glass windows at the Strasburg Cathedral (14the century). The stained-glass
windows dating back to 1320-1340 depict scenery from the lives of Virgin Mary and Jesus
Christ.
In conjunction with the Ov-Avner International Foundation, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation
was involved in the erection of the Education Center for Jewish children residing in Baku with
an overall capacity of 450 students. The Center was put into commission in October 2010. The
Center boasts of 30 class-rooms furnished with the state-of-the-art equipment and the covered
stadium with an overall area of 700 square meters.