The administrative district of Aghdam was originally formed on August 8, 1930. It is located in the center of Karabakh, which is the ancient and fascinating land of Azerbaijan, in the northeastern foothills of the Karabakh mountain range, in the west of the Kura-Araz plain. The relief of the district is predominantly flat and partly mountainous. The territory of Aghdam district with 65 settlements is 1150 square kilometres.

Archaeological research conducted in the 1950s proved the existence of ancient human settlements in Aghdam. This territory was rich in ancient historical, cultural and architectural monuments.  The dome of Gutlu Sara Musa oghlu built in 1314 in the village of Khachinderbent, the tomb of the 14th century in the village of Kengerli, the Mosque built in the 19th century by architect Kerbelai Safikhan Karabaghi (1817-1910) in the city of Aghdam, the stone statue of a praying man in the village of Boy Ahmedli, the Aghdam Juma Mosque, the sanctuary of Seyyid Lazim Agha (which is one of the famous religious figures of Karabakh in the village of Chemenli) and others are among our national, spiritual treasures, which indicate the wealth of historical and religious monuments of the region.

On July 23, 1993, Armenian aggressors seized 882 sq. km. of the 1,150 sq. km. territory of Aghdam and 128 thousand people were forced to leave their homes. As a result of the occupation of the Aghdam district 122 villages, 24,446 residential houses, 48 industrial and construction facilities, 160 school buildings, 65 health care facilities, 373 houses of culture, 1 theatre, 3 mosques and 2 museums were burnt and destroyed. During the fighting for Aghdam, more than 6000 people were killed, thousands were wounded, the population was expelled from their homes and settled as internally displaced persons in 875 settlements in 59 regions of Azerbaijan. As a result of this occupation, 13 billion 135 million dollars’ worth of damage was caused to the Aghdam region. Due to Armenian vandalism in 2008, Lonely Planet magazine labeled Aghdam the “Hiroshima of the Caucasus” and Aghdam was added to the list of “Ghost Cities” by the online version of Al Jazeera in 2010. During the year that has passed since the date of liberation from the occupation, many positive changes have taken place in Aghdam, restoration and restoration work continues at a high rate. The goal of the President and the Azerbaijani state is to make Aghdam one of the most beautiful cities in the region. Reconstruction works are being carried out in the city based on the orders of President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva. After the 30-year Armenian occupation of Aghdam, the only surviving building in the city was a mosque, which was preserved only because it was used for military purposes.

The counter-offensive operation launched by the Azerbaijani Army against the armed forces of Armenia on 27 September under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, led to the complete victory of our country and the capitulation of the enemy. Thus, thanks to the victory gained in the Patriotic War, the 30-year longing of our people for Karabakh came to an end. Having suffered defeat in the Patriotic War, the enemy was forced to sign the Tripartite Statement on 10 November. According to the Tripartite Statement, the Aghdam district was handed over to Azerbaijan without a single shot. According to the Tripartite Statement, the city of Aghdam was liberated on 23 November 2020. On 23 November 2020, the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev visited the city of Aghdam liberated from occupation. The head of state raised the tricolour flag of Azerbaijan in Aghdam. After the historic victory, the second stage of the national idea was to clear the liberated lands from mines, revive native lands destroyed by the enemy, build large-scale infrastructure, and prepare for the Great Return. Thus, large-scale construction and restoration works started in Aghdam.

Today, large-scale projects are being implemented in the territory devastated by Armenians. In accordance with the approved General Plan of the city of Aghdam (The Master Plan for the development of Aghdam until 2040), residential areas meeting modern requirements are being built in order to ensure an efficient and high standard of living for the population. The city of Aghdam is being built according to the project which has no analogues in the world. The period of restoration, reconstruction, development and prosperity of Aghdam has already started. Large-scale restoration and construction works are carried out under personal control of President Ilham Aliyev. In this sense, every visit of President Ilham Aliyev to this region makes a new contribution to the ongoing restoration works. Within the framework of the President’s visit to Aghdam district, foundations were laid for Azerishig OJSC, Digital Management Centre and Education-Training Complex, Aghdam Mugham Centre, 2nd and 3rd residential quarters, as well as administrative building. All this allows us to say that President Ilham Aliyev will turn the “ghost town” into a paradise in the shortest possible time.

The Mugham Centres established recently are of exceptional importance in terms of preserving Mugham, promoting it in the world and passing it on to future generations. The construction of the Mugham Centre in the Agdam district, which gave outstanding mugham singers to the Azerbaijani national musical culture, is a vivid evidence of the consistent work carried out for cultural revival both in the districts liberated from occupation and in other regions of the country. In general, under the leadership of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation is carrying out exceptional works towards restoration of our historical, cultural and religious heritage in all territories liberated from occupation.

Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, large-scale construction works are being carried out in the territories liberated from occupation, and Aghdam district will turn into one of the most beautiful regions of Azerbaijan and our citizens, who are no longer IDPs, will return to their native lands.

According to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated 31 July 2023 “On the establishment of city days in the liberated territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan”, the 20th of November is solemnly celebrated as Aghdam City Day every year. The order aims to perpetuate the historic victory achieved in the Patriotic War.

Recommended literature:

1. Qarabağ: yaddaş / Azərbaycan Respublikası Gənclər və İdman Nazirliyi, "Sağlam İnkişaf və Maarifləndirmə" İctimai Birliyi ; tərt., layihənin rəh. A. Ə. Xəlilov. - Bakı : MHS-poliqraf, 2010. - 192 s.
2. Abdullayev, Əsgər İbrahim oğlu. Qarabağ faciəsi : monoqrafiya / Ə. İ. Abdullayev ; elmi red. Ə. Əliyev ; baş red. İ. Səfərov ; red. R. Cəbrayılova ; Azərbaycan Dövlət İqtisad Universiteti. - Bakı : İqtisad Universiteti nəşriyyatı, 2016. - 228 s.
3. Əhmədov, Elçin İldırım oğlu. Ermənistanın Azərbaycana təcavüzü / E. İ. Əhmədov ; elmi red. Ə. M. Həsənov ; Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti yanında Elmin İnkişafı Fondu. - (Humanitar və ictimai elmlər). II kitab : Etnik təmizləmə, soyqırıml, terror, işğal. - Bakı : Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti yanında Elmin İnkişafı Fondu, 2015. - 408 s.
4. İbrahimov, Xaqani. Zəfər günü / X. İbrahimov ; elmi red. N. Q. Cəfərov. - Bakı : Avropa nəşriyyatı, 2021. - 432 s.
5. Black book of Karabakh = Qarabağın qara kitabı / Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan [et al.]; project manager, ed. M. Marjanli ; trans.: I. Asadov [et al.] ; ed.: Z. Asgarova, G. Lysenko. - Dubai : IRS Publishing House, 2021. - 223 p.
6. Məmmədov, Nazim Rəhbər oğlu. İkinci Qarabağ müharibəsi : Zəfər salnaməsi / N. R. Məmmədov ; elmi red. M. İ. Əmrahov ; AMEA A.A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu. - Bakı : Optimist MMC, 2022. - 464 s.
7. История Отечественной войны : фактор личности: 27 сентября - 10 ноября 2020 года / Исполнительная власть города Баку, Институт Истории им. А.А. Бакиханова НАНА ; рук. проекта, авт. предисл. Э. Азизов ; науч. ред. К. К. Шукюров. - Баку : Шарг-Гарб, 2022. - 444 с.