October 18 marks five years since the liberation of the historic Khudafarin Bridge on the Araz River, located on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border in Jabrayil District, from Armenian occupation, News.Az reports.
Azerbaijan liberated the bridge from Armenian aggressors on October 18, 2020. Two villages of Jabrayil District -- Hajili and Haji Isagli -- were also freed alongside Khudafarin.
The 11-arched Khudafarin Bridge, built in the style of the Azerbaijani school of architecture, is a remnant of an 11th-12th century bridge over the Araz River on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border. The bridge is constructed of stone and covered with well-carved large stone slabs. Researchers believe it was rebuilt on the remains of an earlier bridge in the 13th century during the reign of the Ilkhanids (Hulakus). The bridge is approximately 130 meters in length, 6 meters in width, and 12 meters above river level. Currently, three middle arches have endured, while the coastal arches were destroyed following a decision by the USSR in the 1930s.
Khudafarin, with fifteen arches, dates back to the 13th century. According to Hamdallah Qazvini, it was originally built in the 15th year of the Hijri calendar (639 CE) by Abdullah ibn Bakr, a close ally of the Prophet Muhammad. The supports of the bridge arches rise on natural rock foundations, resulting in crossings of different sizes that are freely arranged. Constructed of baked bricks and river stones, the bridge is approximately 200 meters in length, 4.5 meters in width, and 12 meters above river level.