First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva visited Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church in Ganja

First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, along with her daughters, Leyla Aliyeva and Arzu Aliyeva, visited the Alexander Nevsky Russian Orthodox Church in Ganja.

Church's head priest, Varfolomey Denis Sotnikov, provided historical information about the site. Built in 1887 in Byzantine style with brick, the church was funded by both local Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

After functioning as a place of worship for 44 years, the church was closed by Soviet authorities in 1931 and later used as a museum and warehouse. It was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1946 and has remained active since.

The church has preserved various ancient icons, including those of Saint Alexander Nevsky and Saint Mary Magdalene. Its 110th anniversary was marked in 1997, and in 2017, restoration work was carried out for its 130th anniversary. Further repairs are now required to maintain this historic monument.

Azerbaijan, a multinational and multi-confessional country, continues to prioritize the protection of its historical and cultural heritage, including religious sites. President Ilham Aliyev consistently supports religious communities and their leaders, showcasing Azerbaijan’s exemplary state-religion relations. Under the leadership of First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation actively promotes interfaith dialogue and cooperation, restoring mosques, churches, and synagogues across the country, including in liberated territories.