MAIN FRIDAY MOSQUE

Originally the building of a mosque was constructed in middle of XV century at prevailing height of old city. On the sizes it was the third among the biggest djuma-mosques of Uzbekistan. From its dome located at height of 15 meters, the fine view of old Tashkent opened in the past.

The long rectangular courtyard in the size of 98 x 36,5 meters, surrounded from different directions by one-storied gallery of hudjrs adjoined to a cubic main building with mikhrab. In a courtyard there was a room special for kara - the reader of the Koran, and the exit that has been made out by a low portal, was directed on Gull-bazar Street.

The mosque was strongly harmed after destructive earthquake of 1868 and was restored only in 20 years using the funds received from Russian emperor Alexander III - from here goes its national name "the Imperial mosque".

The builder of a djuma-mosque of Tashkent - well-known Sufi sheikh Ubaydulla Hodzha Ahrar (1404-1490) was born in kishlak Bogustan on a place of modern Charvak impoundment in the family of Hodja - descendants of Muhammad prophet. From maternal side he was the descendant of known Tashkent sacred Sheihantaur. Still being young man Hodzha Ahrar headed Dervish Nakshband Institution. He essentially developed the dogmatic of Institution and to middle of XV century has taken the main place among spiritual leaders of the state of Timurids. Moving from Tashkent to Samarkand, the sheikh as a gift to native city constructed the big mosque and madrasah opposite each other.

Hodzha Ahrar madrasah was disassembled in 1954 on bricks for repair of djima-mosque.