The Ganja Imamzadeh shrine is located approximately seven kilometers from the city of Ganja. According to historical tradition, Prince Ibrahim, the son of the Fifth Imam, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him), is buried at this sacred site.
The mausoleum and its dome are believed to have been constructed in the 14th–15th centuries. As the structure is predominantly decorated with dark and light blue glazed tiles, it is popularly known among the local people as the “Blue Dome” or “Blue Imam.”
In the past, the complex included tekke structures, a mosque, and auxiliary buildings surrounding the mausoleum. There was also an ancient cemetery within the courtyard of the shrine. For many years, deceased individuals from various regions of Azerbaijan were brought and buried in the courtyard of this holy place.
An inscription dating back to the 19th century found at the site states the following:
“He (Allah) is Great. This is the noble (Paradisiacal) garden in which the sacred sanctuary of Mawlana Ibrahim, son of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him), is located. May Allah’s blessings be upon him. He passed away 120 years after the Hijra of his grandfather. The restoration of this exalted place was ordered in the year 1296 AH (1878 CE) by the Tbilisi-based Major General Israfil Bey Yadigarzadeh.”
The “Caucasian Calendar” published in 1886 notes that the Ganja Imamzadeh possessed extensive waqf (endowment) lands and received a substantial amount of votive offerings. Despite this, the shrine was reportedly in a state of serious disrepair at that time.
Between 2010 and 2016, the Ganja Imamzadeh complex underwent comprehensive restoration and renovation works, preserving its historical, religious, and architectural significance.
Based on the decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on March 1, 2010, restoration and renovation works were carried out in the complex, and it was officially reopened in 2016.
Salamzadeh A.V., Architecture of Azerbaijan in the 16th–19th Centuries, pp. 23–26
Shcheblykin I.P., Monuments of Azerbaijani Architecture of the Nizami Era (Materials), pp. 51–52
M.X. Nemat, Sacred Shrines of Azerbaijan, pp. 154–157
Mammadov Nahid, The Ganja Imamzadeh Historical Complex (in Azerbaijan and the Ahl al-Bayt Heritage), pp. 56–74
Caucasian Calendar, 1886, p. 158