Bulbul’s house-museum in Shusha is inaugurated after restoration

Inauguration of the house-museum of People’s Artist Bulbul, who has provided great services to the development of Azerbaijan’s music culture and played a significant role in the formation and development of the professional vocal school, took place in Shusha city after restoration, August 29.

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the inauguration ceremony.

The eminent musician was born in this house, which has been acting as a house-museum since 1982, and spent his childhood years here.

Following the instruction by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the Executive Committee of the Shusha City People’s Deputies took a decision on August 31, 1982, to turn the house where Bulbul was born and lived into a house-museum. The building was repaired during 1982-83, a museum exposition was built there and an administrative building constructed before the museum.

Photos related to Bulbul’s childhood years, some of his personal belongings, including his gaval, had been showcased in the museum. Over 9 thousand documents reflecting Bulbul’s creativity, his research, pedagogical and public activities had been collected here. Here were also demonstrated materials proving Bulbul’s long-year efficient creative works associated with the creation of Azerbaijan’s new vocal school, as well as studying and promoting the popular music. 

The house-museum’s activity was stopped in 1992, having been subjected to Armenian vandalism during the 1^st Karabakh War.

Following the instruction of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev given at the time of visiting the house-museum during his trip to Shusha city on January 14^th this year, repair and reconstruction works were carried out on the museum, which have been already completed.

While carrying out restoration works, two scripts in Arabic and a picture describing the Sun’s symbol were discovered under the plastering. One of the scripts was an ayah from Qur’an, another showing the date of construction of the house. The newly discovered script on the wall shows that the building was constructed in 1788. By its typological origin, the building embodies features of historical residential buildings of Karabakh and Azerbaijan, with the rooms’ interior structure being characteristic of Azerbaijan’s traditional homes.

The house was made useless during the occupation of Shusha, cracks were formed in load- bearing walls, and the walls sank. The foundations of all load-bearing walls were reinforced during the restoration works, and reconstruction works were carried out on the walls with cracks. Rotten wooden floor in the rooms were replaced with new ones. The roof, doors and windows had rotten and become useless, therefore, were replaced with new ones, maintaining the building’s historical appearance.

The yard related to Bulbul’s house-museum was renovated, keeping its primary shape.

Bulbul’s museum exposition has been built in the building. Bulbul’s newly made bust was erected in the house-museum’s yard.

Bulbul’s former bust, which had been subjected to Armenian vandalism during Shusha’s occupation, is also kept in the yard in order to demonstrate Armenians barbarism.