Bibi-Khanym Mosque
Bibixonim masjidi
A giant mosque built by Timur in 1404 to commemorate his campaign in India; at the time it was the largest in the Islamic world, and its marble Qur'an stand in the courtyard is its signature feature.
Bibi-Khanym Mosque was the Friday mosque that Timur ordered built after returning from his 1399 campaign in India. Two hundred craftsmen and 95 elephants brought back from India were used to haul the stone. Completed in 1404, the main gate stands 35 metres tall and the main dome 40 metres high, and the courtyard could hold 10,000 worshippers, making it the largest mosque in the Islamic world at the time.
Because the construction was rushed, the building began to collapse shortly after it was completed. From the 14th century onward it was largely abandoned, and an earthquake in 1897 caused further damage. Starting in 1974, the Soviet and Uzbek governments gradually rebuilt the main gate, the main prayer hall and the two side halls.
In the centre of the courtyard stands a huge grey marble Qur'an stand, built by Ulugh Beg to hold the Uthman Qur'an. Legend says that women who crawl beneath it will be blessed with children. The mosque is named after Timur's empress, Bibi-Khanym. According to legend, while she was overseeing the construction, the architect asked her for a kiss, and Timur then ordered women to cover their faces.
Admission for foreigners is about 50,000 sum (around 30 yuan). Opening hours are 08:00–19:00. The mosque is a 15-minute walk north of the Registan along Tashkent Street, and it faces the Siyob Bazaar to the west. Next to it is Bibi-Khanym's own small mausoleum.
The interior of the main prayer hall is empty and not fully restored. You can still see surviving murals and original brickwork, which contrast with the newly tiled exterior.
Allow about 45 minutes, and consider combining your visit with the bazaar in the same morning.
Note: The courtyard gets very hot in summer, and the main hall is sometimes closed for maintenance.
Opening hours
8:00–19:00
Nearby sights
- Siyob Bazaar
- Hazrat Khizr Mosque
- Chorsu (Samarkand)
- Registan
- Shah-i-Zinda
- Imam al-Maturidi Mausoleum
- Sadriddin Ayni House Museum
- Ruhobod Mausoleum