“The Hidden Heritage of Yerevan” is a profound documentary that embarks on a compelling journey to uncover the concealed history and cultural heritage of Azerbaijani presence in Yerevan. The documentary team, equipped with thorough preparation, historical maps, and photos, unwrap the significance of religious buildings going beyond their primary purpose as places of worship. These buildings, rich in history, culture, and spiritual significance, embody the struggles, hopes, and destinies of the people they represent.
The film particularly focuses on mosques, showcasing them as symbols of a cultural heritage that has been lost. The narrative stresses that every religious building encapsulates not just a space for prayer but also serves as a sanctuary where past and future converge, where every stone and pattern narrates a story.
In a gripping segment, the documentary references an article by American journalist Robert Cullen, published in The New Yorker in April 1991. Following in Cullen’s footsteps, the team unveils a grim reality of the various sites In Yerevan. The team is led to a site, previously the location of a mosque, significant as a religious centre for the Azerbaijani community in Yerevan. This revelation is accompanied by a heartrending tale of the mosque’s destruction, a calculated act that began with crowbars and culminated with bulldozers.
Three decades later, prompted by Cullen’s article, the documentary team embarks on a quest to uncover the history of this monument, the Demeure Bulag mosque. They concentrate on what seems like a typical residential area in modern Yerevan, where the mosque once stood. Through meticulous examination of the site and interactions with local residents, the team seeks to confirm the existence of the mosque, facing a community often unaware or reluctant to acknowledge its past.
“The Hidden Heritage of Yerevan” is more than a documentary; it’s a journey into the past, exploring untold stories and unearthing secrets of a city’s complex history. It stands as a testament to the enduring importance of cultural and religious monuments in narrating the diverse stories of our world.

Directed by Vugar Khalilov (Azerbaijan)