Tillya Sheikh Mosque

Tillashayx Mosque — built in Tashkent by the famous Sheikh Tillashayx at the end of the 19th century — beginning of the 20th century, more precisely in 1890–1902. After a short period of activity, the Tillashayx Mosque was closed by the Russian Empire. The mosque was reopened on May 7, 1945. The mosque was renovated in 1955–1963 by master Shirin Muradov. In 2007, when the Hastimom complex was built, the architectural monument and the noteworthy monuments around it were also restored.

About the Sheikh

Tillashayx Khoja Ubaydulla Ahror is a descendant of generations and was born in the Parchabof district of Tashkent. From his youth he was engaged in trade and later became a prosperous merchant. He dealt with bringing sheep from China for sale, and from the profit of one year he built this mosque as a gift to faithful Muslims. During the Shahrazad period he was forced to go to Eastern Turkestan with his family and died there. The year of his death is unknown.

Interior and exterior appearance

The architectural monument, with its design, stands out from other mosques built in its era. The building is rectangular in plan, dome‑shaped, with relatively small minarets on both sides of the mosque, and is entered through an iwan built behind the mosque. There are three arches. The exterior of the mosque is free of decoration, and windows (18) are installed on both sides to allow light into the mosque. The interior style differs completely from the exterior; its carved wooden panels, floral decorations attract the viewer. The dome decorations inside the mosque also stand out with their delicacy. Candles were installed to illuminate the mosque. This structure embodies national architectural traditions, built in the “Chor” style, with doors in the “khotamkori” style. A distinctive feature of the architectural monument is that its exterior shows no decorations, while both the interior and exterior parts of the mosque are rich in ornamentation.

Nowadays

After the Republic of Uzbekistan achieved independence, along with many architectural monuments, the Tllashayx Mosque also underwent renovation. In particular, during the period when the Hastimom complex was built (2007), the notable monuments around the architectural monument were also restored. Moreover, the mosque was included by UNESCO in the World Heritage List.