Juma Mosque of Kokand

Umar Khan ruled Kokand from about 1810 to 1822, a period of prosperity and cultural flowering for the khanate. He was a poet and patron of poets; his wife Nodira was one of the greatest poets of Uzbek literature. Under his rule Kokand grew in size and splendour, and the Juma, or Friday, mosque was built as the main mosque of the capital, where the khan and the townspeople gathered for Friday prayers.

The complex included the mosque, a minaret, a madrasah and other buildings around a large courtyard. It was later closed in the Soviet period and used for other purposes, before being restored and returned to worship after independence.

The mosque’s aivan, a deep open porch, wraps around three sides of the prayer hall and is supported by 98 wooden columns. According to tradition, they were carved from red wood brought from India. Each column rests on a carved stone base and rises to a carved capital, with slender shafts that give the porch a light, rhythmic appearance. The overall length of the porch is around 100 metres, making it one of the most impressive in Central Asia.

Look up at the ceiling: its beams and panels are painted in rich colours, red, green, blue and gold, with floral and geometric designs, in the style of Fergana Valley painters. The mihrab and the walls of the prayer hall are decorated with carved and painted ganch.

In the courtyard stands a brick minaret about 22 metres high, built at the same time as the mosque. It is a simple, elegant tower with bands of brick patterns and a lantern at the top. It is a landmark of the old centre of Kokand.

The mosque is an active place of worship, and its courtyard, shaded by trees, is a peaceful place. Part of the complex has been used as a museum of local crafts and history, with exhibits that change over time. Ask on site what is open.

On Friday at midday the mosque comes alive, as hundreds of men gather for the weekly prayer, filling the porch and the courtyard. Visitors should stay outside or watch respectfully from a distance at this time. Before and after prayers, the streets around the mosque fill with vendors and families, and it is a good moment to experience the life of the old town.

Location: in the centre of Kokand, a short walk or taxi ride from the Khudayar Khan palace.

Tickets: usually free; a small fee for any museum section.

Time needed: 30–45 minutes.

Etiquette: dress modestly; women should bring a scarf. Avoid Friday midday prayers, when the mosque is full.

Tips: come in the morning or late afternoon, when the light falls between the columns. Combine with the Dakhma-i-Shakhon, where Umar Khan and Nodira are remembered, and the Narbutabey madrasah.

The columns of the Juma mosque are a fine example of the woodcarving traditions of the Fergana Valley. Carvers in Kokand, Margilan and other towns made columns, doors, ceilings and furniture with distinctive floral and geometric designs, slightly different from those of Khiva and Bukhara. Many neighbourhood mosques in the valley still have carved and painted porches, and workshops continue the craft today. See our Fergana Valley itinerary for places to see crafts in the valley.