The White Mosque

Khiva, one of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan, and with it in the whole of Central Asia, is unique in that it is here that the ancient Shahristan (the city located inside the fortress wall was called in ancient times) has been preserved intact Ichan Kala, which means “Inner City" in translation. Almost every architectural object inside Ichan Kala is a historical monument. Like every city, Ichan Kala was divided into districts, in each of which there was a district (or otherwise guzar) mosque. 

One of these mosques is the White Mosque, which translates as “White Mosque", located near the Palvan Darvaza - the eastern gate of Ichan Kala.

White Mosque is an example of a classical district mosque of medieval Central Asia. 

The foundation of the mosque, which was built near the city baths of Anush Khan, was laid in 1657, under Anush Khan of the Sheibanid dynasty. However, the construction of the mosque was postponed until the XIX century, and was completed under the rule of the Kungrat dynasty in 1838. The mosque, being a district (guzar) mosque, is used for conducting daily five–fold prayers - namaz. 

The mosque building is made of burnt brick and is a domed hall with three galleries, surrounded on three sides by aivans on wooden columns. The main room of the mosque is square in shape, and the dome crowning it is not sky-blue in color, like most buildings of that era, but is made of burnt brick without any decoration. The walls of the mosque are white, which is typical for the name of the mosque, decorated with ganch carvings. In one of the walls of the mosque there is a mihrab (a prayer niche indicating the direction to the Kaaba, where believers turn when praying). The wooden doors leading to the mosque are also decorated with elaborate carvings in the form of ornamental and epigraphic patterns with the names of the masters who created this work of art woven into them: Nur Muhammad usta and Kalandar usta.

The mosque's windows are decorated with ganch lattices, which are also painted with patterns.

There is a minaret in one of the walls of the mosque, where the muezzin ascended and called the faithful to prayer. The minaret is also made of burnt brick, and its dome is decorated with a spire at the top. 

The wooden columns on which the mosque's aivans are installed are also decorated with wood carvings.

According to legends, the mosque is called White not only because this color prevails in the decor, but because the current mosque was built on the foundation of the previous White mosque.

White Mosque, despite its modest decoration, is one of the most beautiful monuments of medieval Khiva.