Ubiquitously Uzbekistan – The Juma Mosque in Khiva
Khiva was clean, neat and windswept. We went right by the Kalta Minor to find the Orient Star Khiva Hotel, which took over the original site of the Madrassa Muhammad Aminkhan as its place of business.
The construction for the Kalta Minor was never finished due to the death of Muhammad Amin Khan.
The Madrassa Muhammad Aminkhan is the largest two-story madrassa in Khiva. The High Muslim Court was once located here, and held session in the central courtyard. Perhaps that explained why there is a high platform in the courtyard.
Finally, Muhammad Amin Khan was reputed to be one the most illustrious rulers of Khiva.
As a hotel, there was relevance to the modern tourists in the fact that we could find a money exchange there. We exchanged some Uzbek SOMs.
The Juma Mosque was the next site of significance. We did not know what to expect, and when we entered the mosque, we were amazed by its breathtaking beauty.
A Brief History of the Juma Mosque
Meaning “Friday Mosque,” the original Juma Mosque had been in existence since the 10th century. This was one of the structures that was razed down by the Mongols during the Mongolian Invasion of the 13th century. In the late 18th century, the Juma Mosque underwent a reconstruction, and the structure has since stood to this day.
A one-story building, the mosque prides 213 supporting pillars in perfect alignment. They are what makes it an amazing experience for tourists to walk through the mosque. In every different angle you see the crisscrossing of wooden pillars. With the natural daylight illuminating the space in between, the view of the internal architecture was at once serene and textured in different shades of glow — as if God’s commanding presence could be felt inside.
Photo: At this white structure in the middle, the worshippers wash their hands before praying.
The central pillars in the Juma Mosque are in fact the very original, and as such they had stood there for more than one thousand years. Those were the only of the original mosque that remained at the time of reconstruction.
The Juma Mosque of Khiva can host 5,000 prayers at once. The kings have the first right of entry, then the ministers and the common people. Each prayer takes about 7 to 15 minutes to pray, but during the Ramadan, the prayers take one hour.
A Fantastic Uzbek Lunch at Zarafshon Café, a Heritage Restaurant
We had lunch at the Zarafshon Café, which is located in the Tolib Masxum Madrassa, a heritage building. The Tolib Masxum Madrassa was named after the scribe Talib Makhsum. The small madrassa is said to have been the venue of training for calligraphers. Built in 1908-1910, this relatively new building was one of the last few to be included in the list of buildings considered “historic” in Khiva.
The dining ambience was first class there, with elaborate décor featuring the best of Uzbek tapestries. In a roomy dining hall we savored traditional Uzbek dishes, including the chuchvara (Uzbek dumplings) and green noodles (made of dill and it is a Khiva specialty). It surprised us that the price we paid was just about the price we paid at higher-end restaurants elsewhere in Uzbekistan—about US$20 to $25 for the two of us.
The Islam Khoja Minaret
Lying right next to the Tolib Masxum Madrassa is the beautiful Islam Khoja complex.
The Islam Khoja Minaret is the tallest minaret in Khiva. It is also part of the Islam Khoja Madrassa, which itself is the smallest madrassa in Khiva. “Decorative belts of blue and white ceramics alternating with ochre bricks adorn the minaret. It is topped by arched lantern and golden crown.” (Advantour.com)
Islam Khoja was the grand vizier to the khan and he was an educator. He introduced some reforms in education. However, he met the unfortunate fate of being assassinated in 1913.
Completed relatively recently in 1908, this ensemble stands next to the Zarafshon Café, with a square that was brimming with lively actions on that day. There were vendors selling curios and handcrafts. The square featured bronze sculptures.
I loved our lunch, but the beautiful day beckoned, luring us to head outside and again into the embrace of Khiva’s historic charm. We strolled through more of the old town of Khiva, and came upon a little coppersmith shop.
Sources
Descriptions on site in Khiva historic monuments.
Some of the information about the Tolib Masxum Madrassa were taken from a reviewer’s comment from Tripadvisor.com.
Advantour.com, Islam Khoja complex, Khiva.