Six years have passed since the liberation of the Khudaferin Bridge

Today, October 18, marks the Day of Liberation of the ancient Khudaferin Bridge, located in the Jabrayil district, and the surrounding territories from Armenian occupation.

Six years have passed since the liberation of the bridge over the Araz River on the border between Azerbaijan and Iran.

On October 18, 2020, along with the Khudaferin Bridge, two more settlements of the Jabrayil district were liberated from the occupiers — the villages of Hajili and Haji Isagli.

It should be noted that the 11-arch Khudaferin Bridge, built in the style of the Azerbaijani architectural school, represents the remains of an 11th-12th century bridge located on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border. The bridge is built of stone and faced with large stone slabs.

Researchers agree that the 11-span bridge was built during the rule of the Ilkhanids (Hulaguids) on the ruins of an ancient bridge. Its length is approximately 130 meters, its width is 6 meters, and its height above river level is 12 meters. Currently, three central arches have been preserved; the riverside sections of the bridge were destroyed by order of the Soviet authorities in the 1930s.

The 15-span Khudaferin Bridge dates back to the 13th century. As Hamdullah Qazvini writes, it was built by Bakr ibn Abdullah — a companion of the Prophet Muhammad in the 15th year of the Hijri calendar (639 AD according to the Gregorian calendar). The bridge supports are built on natural foundations — on rocks, which is why the spans are of different sizes. The length of the bridge, constructed from fired brick and river stones, is approximately 200 meters, its width is 4.5 meters, and the greatest height above river level is 12 meters.