Minor Mosque Tashkent

Subhadip Mukherjee

4 days ago

Minor Mosque is one of the newest attractions in Tashkent. The word “Minor” is pronounced by the locals as “Mee-noor” so do not do a literal English translation of the word “Minor” into something small. Minor is the neighborhood where this mosque was constructed. I was apprehensive about visiting this mosque as it looked different from the traditionally designed ones that we typically see in these regions also I usually avoid newly constructed attractions as they often do not denote the architectural aesthetics of the region. Often, newly constructed attractions are made for global appeal and lose their localized charm.

I was wrong in some sense, this mosque is newly constructed and uses white marble over the yellow stone structures that we see in this region but somehow it looks aesthetic and it’s not over-modernized.

History Of Minor Mosque

Islam Karimov, the first president of Uzbekistan, kickstarted this project in the year 2013. The construction was completed within a year and on the 1^st of October 2014, this place was inaugurated by the president. The project was jointly funded by the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan and the state budget.

What To See At Minor Mosque

The whole mosque has been built using white marble, so on a clear day the mosque looks stunning with a blue azure background. The design is a mix of both traditional, which can be seen on the main gate, which has design patterns that of other historical mosques in the neighbourhood, but with the white marble, the design looks stunning. The land around the mosque has been completely redone with beautiful landscaping.

Tourists can come inside the mosque to the courtyard but are not allowed inside the main prayer hall. One can see inside the mosque from a distance. The interiors have beautiful chandeliers and carpets with intricate designs. The mihrab is simple yet well-designed. The mosque can accommodate around two thousand five hundred people at a time.

Women need to dress appropriately which is applicable for any mosque visits in Uzbekistan. If you do not have anything to cover then there are robes available for women to use to cover up and visit the interior courtyard.