MAKHACHKALA, February 22 – RIA "Dagestan". Large-scale restoration efforts are underway at Derbent's Juma Mosque, recognized as Russia's oldest functioning mosque and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Current work focuses on reinforcing and weatherproofing the historic dome, as well as excavating buried architectural features.
According to the press service of Derbent Museum-Reserve, specialists have fully reinforced the dome and applied a protective coating to shield it from precipitation. Artisans manually remove aged mortar from the centuries-old stone vaults, after which the masonry will be treated with a preservation compound. On the mosque's southern side, crews excavate approximately 90 centimeters of accumulated soil to reveal historically significant window openings, while simultaneously strengthening the foundation of the surrounding enclosure wall.
Although the restoration project received approval in 2016, work did not commence until 2019 due to documentation inaccuracies. Initially slated for completion in 2022, the project was suspended and later resumed in 2023. Contractors now anticipate finishing all restoration activities by early summer 2026.