As part of its “If I Were a Tourist” series, AZERTAC continues to introduce fascinating yet lesser-known landmarks across various regions of Azerbaijan, including Baku and its surroundings. The next destination in the series is the Momine Khatun Mausoleum located in Nakhchivan.
Considered the first mausoleum in the East dedicated to a woman, the Momine Khatun Mausoleum is one of the most magnificent examples of Turkic-Islamic cultural monuments in Nakhchivan. It was built by the renowned architect Ajami Abubakr oglu Nakhchivani. Also known in memory as the "Atabey Dome," the mausoleum bears an inscription in Kufic script on its main arch:
" Though we depart, but only the wind is left behind us.
Though we die, but only a work is left as a present."
The structure consists of both underground (sardaba) and above-ground parts. According to some researchers, the founder of the Atabey state, Shamsaddin Eldeniz, his wife Momine Khatun, and their son Muhammad Jahan Pahlavan are buried in the sardaba.
By the decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated May 22, 2025, 1 million manats have been initially allocated from the President’s reserve fund in the 2025 state budget to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. This funding is intended for the restoration and conservation of the mausoleum—a world-class historical and architectural monument – to preserve its unique appearance and pass it on to future generations.
