🕌 Bibi-Khanym Mosque
Uzbekistan
About This Sacred Site
The Bibi-Khanym Mosque in Samarkand was one of the most ambitious architectural projects of Tamerlane (Timur), built between 1399 and 1404 after his victorious campaign in India. Named after his favorite wife, the mosque was intended to be the grandest in the Islamic world, with a main portal reaching 35 meters and a courtyard large enough to hold the entire male population of Samarkand. Though much of the original structure collapsed over the centuries due to the overly ambitious scale, extensive restoration has returned much of its former grandeur.
Key Facts
- •Built by Tamerlane between 1399 and 1404
- •Named after Tamerlane's favorite wife, Bibi-Khanym
- •The main portal is 35 meters tall
- •Was intended to be the largest mosque in the Islamic world
- •Much of the structure collapsed due to its ambitious scale
Location
Coordinates: 39.6611, 66.9797
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