Shamakhi, May 31 (AZERTAC). A group of participants of the News Agencies World Council (NACO), to be held in Baku on Monday, have visited the Juma Mosque and Astrophysical Observatory in the Shamakhi District.

The delegation included president of the News Agencies World Congress, president of Saudi Press Agency Abdullah Bin Fahd Al-Hussein, CEO of Press Association Clive Marshall, and others.

Akhoond of the Juma Mosque informed the delegation of the history of the mosque.

He noted the Juma Mosque, one of the oldest Muslim temples in Azerbaijan and in the entire South Caucasus, was built in 743 in the period of Caliph Khalid ibn Valiyad in honor of the arrival of his brother Muslum ibn Valiyad in Azerbaijan.

Considerable demolitions and damages of the Juma Mosque during battles and earthquakes were the reason of restorative reconstructions of the mosque’s building.

The first restoration of the Mosque begun at the end of 12th century and was related to the considerable damage of the building as a result of enemy attacks. The second restoration work at the mosque was carried out in 17th century, and the third in 1860.

The fourth reconstruction was prompted by a devastating earthquake in 1902.

Primarily, the reconstruction of the mosque was charged to the eminent Azerbaijani architect of that time Ziverbey Ahmadbeyov.

The Juma Mosque was then reconstructed on the initiative of national leader Heydar Aliyev in 1980.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed orders on the restoration of the Juma Mosque in December 2009 and February 2013.

The Juma Mosque, which can handle up to 1,500 people, has a rich collection of books.

The delegation then visited the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory.

They were informed that the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory (ShAO) is located on the eastern-southern of the Great Caucasus Mountain Range.