The Jami Mosque in Kokand: An Iwan on 98 Columns

If the Khudayar Khan palace tells of the secular power of the Kokand Khanate, the Jami mosque tells of its spiritual life. It's the capital's congregational (Friday) mosque, founded at the start of the 19th century on the city's main square. A spacious iwan on dozens of columns, ornate carving and a tall minaret make it one of the finest monuments of Ferghana craftsmanship — and a place that contemporaries ranked alongside the architecture of Samarkand and Bukhara.

In short: the Jami mosque (Jomi) is the congregational Friday mosque in Kokand, on the historic Chorsu square. Its construction is tied to the Kokand rulers of the early 19th century: begun under Alim Khan, it was mainly built in the 1810s–1820s under Umar Khan. The complex includes the mosque with a huge iwan (canopy) on numerous carved wooden columns, a madrasa with hujras, prayer rooms, a khanaka and a freestanding minaret about 22 meters tall. The minaret is built of fired brick and topped with a faceted dome, with a spiral staircase inside. The mosque is famed for ganch carving unique to the Ferghana Valley and remains a working shrine of Kokand.

In this guide What the Jami mosque is Who built it, and when The iwan and columns The minaret Its place in the city's history How to visit FAQ

What is the Jami mosque in Kokand?

The Jami mosque is the main congregational mosque of Kokand — the one where the citywide Friday prayer was held. It stands on Chorsu square in the historic center and is a whole complex: the mosque proper with its extensive iwan, a madrasa, prayer rooms, a khanaka and a minaret. It's one of the largest and most significant architectural monuments of the city.

The word "jami" (or "jomi") means "congregational," "Friday" — such mosques were the main ones in every major city of the Islamic world. In Kokand, the Jami became the spiritual center of the khanate's capital. Contemporaries noted the beauty and nobility of its architecture, ranking the monument alongside the celebrated buildings of Samarkand and Bukhara.

Who built the mosque, and when?

Construction of the congregational mosque in Kokand began at the start of the 19th century. The first attempt was made by the ruler Alim Khan around 1805, but work was suspended. The main building of the complex dates to the 1810s–1820s and is tied to the name of the Kokand ruler Umar Khan. Later, in the early 20th century, the complex was restored with funds from the local merchant class.

So the mosque was built during the heyday of the Kokand Khanate, when its rulers sought to adorn the capital with monumental structures. A madrasa operated at the mosque, with classes held in its hujras right up to 1918. The mosque itself served as a place of prayer for citizens and, in Soviet times, temporarily lost that function, but later became active again.

What is the iwan of the mosque famous for?

The mosque's main architectural feature is its huge iwan, an open canopy-gallery supported by numerous carved wooden columns (by common accounts, about 98). The columns have characteristic "stalactite" capitals, and the ceilings and walls are decorated with ganch carving considered unique to the Ferghana Valley. This iwan is one of the most striking spaces in Kokand's architecture.

Wooden columned iwans are a characteristic feature of Central Asian mosques, but in the Jami this one reaches a particular scale. The fine carving in wood and ganch, the rhythm of the long rows of columns, create a sense of lightness and space. It's for this iwan and the finesse of its finish that the Jami mosque is valued as a model of mature Ferghana craftsmanship.

A minaret with a grim reputation. From the top of the Jami minaret, citizens were summoned to prayer five times a day. But folk tradition ascribes another, sinister role to it: that condemned criminals were supposedly thrown from its top in punishment. There's no documentary confirmation of this — it's part of the urban folklore that surrounds many old minarets.

What's special about the minaret?

The minaret of the Jami mosque stands in the center of the courtyard and rises about 22 meters. It's built of fired brick in smooth ring courses, topped with a six-arch lantern and a faceted dome, with a spiral staircase running inside. Unlike the richly decorated facade of the Khudayar Khan palace, the minaret is almost devoid of decoration — its beauty is in the purity and slenderness of its form.

From the top of the minaret, by accounts, a view opened over all of Kokand. Spare and soaring, it serves as the vertical dominant of the whole complex and is easily recognized against the city. The Jami minaret is one of Kokand's symbols and a frequent subject of travelers' photographs.

Contemporaries ranked the beauty of the Jami alongside the monuments of Samarkand and Bukhara — the highest praise for a city of craftsmen.

Why is the mosque important for Kokand?

The Jami mosque is the spiritual heart of historic Kokand and one of the main monuments of the Kokand Khanate era. Together with the Khudayar Khan palace, it shows two sides of the capital's life: secular power and religious tradition. Today the mosque is on the list of Uzbekistan's objects of tangible cultural heritage and is once again active as a place of prayer.

For the traveler, the Jami is an essential point in Kokand, complementing the Urda palace. If the Urda astonishes with its splendor and tragic fate, the Jami wins you over with noble restraint and mastery of detail. Together they form a complete portrait of a city that was once the capital of its own state.

How do you get to the mosque?

The Jami mosque is on Chorsu square in the center of Kokand — a city in the Ferghana Valley in eastern Uzbekistan. Kokand is usually reached from Ferghana or from Tashkent via the Kamchik pass. This is a working mosque, so when visiting it's important to dress modestly and respect those at prayer.

Seeing the mosque takes about half an hour to an hour. It pairs naturally with the Khudayar Khan palace — the two main points of Kokand. And the whole city fits into a route through the Ferghana Valley with Margilan and Ferghana, to see the region as a whole.

Frequently asked questions about the Jami mosque

What does "Jami" mean?

"Jami" (jomi) means "congregational," "Friday" mosque — the main mosque of a city, where the citywide Friday prayer is held.

Who built the mosque?

Construction began under Alim Khan around 1805, and it was mainly built in the 1810s–1820s under the Kokand ruler Umar Khan.

How many columns are in the iwan?

By common accounts, the mosque's huge iwan is supported by about 98 carved wooden columns with "stalactite" capitals.

How tall is the minaret?

About 22 meters. It's built of fired brick, topped with a faceted dome, with a spiral staircase inside.

Is it true people were thrown from the minaret?

It's a folk tradition with no documentary confirmation. The minaret's main function was the call to prayer; grim legends surround many old minarets.

How do you get there?

The mosque is on Chorsu square in the center of Kokand. The city is reached from Ferghana or from Tashkent via the Kamchik pass.

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