Kok-Gumbaz Mosque

Kok-Gumbaz Mosque

Among the majestic palaces and memorial complexes of Shakhrisabz, right out of the green gardens stands a blue dome – Kok Gumbaz. Due to its location and size, it is visible from almost any part of the city. This makes Kok – Gumbaz an indispensable element of the city panorama.  “Kok – Gumbaz” means “Blue Dome”. The mosque was built in 1435 on the skeletons of an earlier building located in the Dorut-Tillyavat architectural complex, the front side to the mausoleum of Shamseddin Kulyal.

In fact, Kok-Gumbaz is the largest Friday mosque in Shakhrisabz. It was here that all the most important religious services were held. The initiator of erecting this mosque was Mirzo Ulugbek, a world-famous astronomer, public figure and grandson of the great Amir Temur. The inscription on the portal of the main entrance of the mosque says that Ulugbek built Kok-Gumbaz on behalf of his father – Shakhrukh.

It is interesting that architects in the planning of the building tried to maximally adjust the height of the mosque in such a way that its axis was at the same level as the mausoleum of Kulyal. This allowed achieving an ideal symmetry between the buildings, which gave the entire complex a very harmonious and verified style. For the sake of this, the masters even had to violate the Islamic law by rejecting the direction of the mosque to the sacred Mecca.

The spherical blue dome is covered with a ceramic tile of sky-blue color, which symbolizes a cloudless sky over the vast possessions of the ruler. From a distance, merging with the sky, it resembles a balloon, creating the illusion of lightness and flight. Below, encircling the base of the dome, stretches a light stripe, crowned with fragments from various suras of the Koran. Derived beautiful calligraphic handwriting, so characteristic of the Temurids era, it includes many wise and well-known sayings. Here is the most colorful and large: “Power and wealth belong to Allah. Only Allah has domination. ”

Entering the building, we see that its inner part is square. Immediately in a different way, the swing and dimensions of the dome are felt. Heavy and majestic, he hangs high above the heads. The diameter of the dome is 46 meters. Here, the sounds of voices and actions come to life and, merging, are transformed into a bizarre and simultaneously formidable echo. At the corners of the massive walls are arranged four spiral staircases, which lead to the upper level, to the rooms and the roof.

The surface of the walls inside the mosque is covered with white ganch (a mixture of gypsum and clay). In some places there are the finest painted ornaments and patterns, made in blue-blue tones. Near the walls are niches, oriented to the sides of the world.