Five years since liberation of Khudafarin bridge from occupation

Today, October 18, marks the fifth anniversary of the liberation of the historic Khudafarin bridge on the Araz River, located on the Azerbaijan–Iran border in Jabrayil district, from Armenian occupation.

As Report recalls, on October 18, 2020, in addition to the Khudafarin bridge, two villages of Jabrayil - Hajili and Haji Isagli - were also freed from occupation during the Second Karabakh War.

The Khudafarin bridge, a notable example of Azerbaijani architectural heritage, consists of the remains of an 11-arch structure dating back to the 11th–12th centuries. Built from stone and faced with finely hewn slabs, the bridge spans nearly 130 meters in length, six meters in width, and rises 12 meters above the river. Researchers believe it was rebuilt in the 13th century during the Ilkhanate period over the remnants of an ancient bridge. While three central arches remain intact, the side arches were destroyed in the 1930s by Soviet authorities.

Nearby, the 15-arch Khudafarin bridge, believed to date back to the 7th century, is attributed to Bakr ibn Abdullah, a close companion of Prophet Muhammad, according to historian Hamdallah Qazvini. Constructed from baked brick and river stone, the bridge stretches approximately 200 meters in length, 4.5 meters in width, and also rises up to 12 meters above the river. Its arches are irregularly spaced, supported by natural rock foundations.