Imam Sarakhsi Central Mosque

About this place

The Imam Sarakhsi Central Mosque is the largest mosque in Bishkek and one of the largest in Central Asia, and its four minarets can be seen from many parts of the city. It takes its name from al-Sarakhsi, a medieval Islamic scholar. It is a working place of worship for the capital's Muslims and usually welcomes respectful visitors outside prayer times. Construction began in 2012 and the mosque opened on 2 September 2018, funded by Turkey's Directorate of Religious Affairs. It is one of several mosques Turkey has funded around the world. It was designed in an Ottoman revival style that recalls the Kocatepe Mosque in Ankara, and it holds about 9,000 worshippers inside and about 30,000 with its courtyards. Outside you see a large dome with smaller domes stepping down around it, and four slender minarets with three balconies each. Inside, blue and gold decoration fills the underside of the main dome, with a beautiful circle of Arabic calligraphy at its centre and a wide chandelier on metal arches. The courtyard feels spacious and calm outside Friday prayers. The mosque lies in the eastern part of the city centre, about 1.2 km in a straight line from Oak Park and about 900 m from the Gapar Aitiev Museum. Dress modestly, women should cover their hair, remove your shoes before entering and avoid prayer times. Keep your voice down, do not photograph worshippers and expect crowds on Fridays.