Ordabasy Square
Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Abdulhamid Kattani Mosque, Shymkent
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Photo: Adam Harangozó, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free
- Hours
- Daily, dawn to night prayer; no official schedule
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 20 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Non-Muslims
- Welcome between prayers, quietly and modestly dressed
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Women
- Headscarf, covered shoulders and arms, skirt or trousers below the knee
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Address
- Tole Bi Street 12/2a, by Ordabasy Square
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - From the Ordabasy monument
- ≈ 120 m, a 2-minute walk
- Bus stop
- Ordabasy; buses 6, 18, 23, 27, 32 and more, per Welcome.kz
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - From the station / airport
- ≈ 10 / 20–25 min by taxi
- Friday
- The main weekly prayer around midday — crowded
- Time needed
- 15–20 minutes
Key facts
1995–1997built; the mosque opened in November 1997
2 sourcesi
Russian Wikipedia (citing the Muftiate of Kazakhstan, 2017)Kazakh WikipediaZakatpaid for by Abdulhamid Kattani, a resident of Saudi Arabia, as his obligatory alms — hence the name
2 sourcesi
Russian and Kazakh WikipediaMosqpedia1,000 or 2,000worshippers — sources disagree on the capacity
2 sourcesi
Kazakh Wikipedia (up to 1,000)Mosqpedia (2,000)Gold domeof gilded metal with a fish-scale pattern
3 sourcesi
Russian WikipediaMosqpediaKazakh Wikipedia (dome re-covered in 2006)Al-Fatihathe opening sura of the Quran is written inside the dome
2 sourcesi
Russian WikipediaMosqpediaAyat al-Kursithe Throne Verse decorates the mihrab, the niche facing Mecca
2 sourcesi
Russian WikipediaMosqpedia (places it on the dome)7 roomsprayer hall, lecture rooms, library and imams’ rooms
2 sourcesi
Kazakh WikipediaMosqpediaOrdabasy Mosqueits everyday name, after the square next door
3 sourcesi
Welcome.kzOpenStreetMap2GISPatience rooma room set aside for spiritual support for people who are struggling
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Russian and Kazakh Wikipedia≈ 120 mfrom the Ordabasy Square monument to the mosque
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YesGo measurement on OpenStreetMap coordinates≈ 160 msouth to the small Koshkar-Ata mausoleum by the stream of the same name
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YesGo measurement on OpenStreetMap coordinatesWhat is the Kattani Mosque?
It is one of Shymkent’s main congregational mosques and the most visible one in the old centre — the gold dome you see from Ordabasy Square. Work began in 1995 and it opened in November 1997. A single donor paid for it: Abdulhamid Kattani, a resident of Saudi Arabia, as his zakat. Locals usually just call it the Ordabasy Mosque.
The dome is gilded metal with a fish-scale pattern; according to Kazakh Wikipedia it got its current gold covering in a 2006 renovation. Inside, the opening sura of the Quran, Al-Fatiha, runs around the dome, and the Throne Verse (Ayat al-Kursi) decorates the mihrab.
Don’t expect antiquity — the building is only about thirty years old. What it has is location: it sits between the Ordabasy monument, the Koshkar-Ata stream and the Upper Market, so almost any walk around downtown passes it. Beyond his Saudi residence and the donation, we found no reliable information about Abdulhamid Kattani himself.
Can non-Muslims visit, and when is it open?
Yes. There are no official visiting hours — the mosque’s website, kattani.kz, is an old news archive — but it is open every day from the dawn prayer to the night prayer. Visitors of any faith can come in between prayers as long as they are quiet and modestly dressed.
The easiest time is the morning or the gap between the midday and afternoon prayers. Avoid Friday around noon: it is the main prayer of the week and the hall and courtyard fill up. During Ramadan, evenings around the fast-breaking meal are busy too.
Entry is free and there is no ticket; a donation box is optional. Photos outside are fine; inside, don’t photograph people at prayer and ask a caretaker first. Kazakh Wikipedia notes separate prayer rooms for women.
Prayer times today — when to wait outside
Loading today's times…
Times are calculated for the mosque’s coordinates and may differ by a few minutes from the timetable of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan. Arrive at least half an hour after a prayer begins, and skip Friday midday altogether.
How to get to the Kattani Mosque
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Ordabasy Square is about 1 min away on foot.
- Independence Park is about 6 min away on foot.
- Shymkent Citadel is about 15 min away on foot.
More tips
- Head for Ordabasy Square, where Kazybek Bi and Tole Bi streets meet. City buses stop at Ordabasy — Welcome.kz lists routes 6, 18, 23, 27, 32 and about a dozen more. Check the number from your stop in 2GIS, the local maps app.
- A taxi takes about 10 minutes from the railway station and 20–25 from the airport. In Yandex Go, type “Kattani mosque” or “Tole Bi 12/2a”.
- From the Ordabasy monument, walk about 120 m east along Tole Bi Street — the gold dome is visible from the square.
- Leave your shoes at the prayer-hall door; women should put on a headscarf before going in.
- Then walk 160 m south to the Koshkar-Ata mausoleum and on through Independence Park to the Citadel, about 10 minutes.
Is it worth visiting?
Yes, if you are already walking the centre: it is right on Ordabasy Square and a look inside takes 15–20 minutes. It is a real neighbourhood mosque, full of locals, rather than a showpiece.
It is not worth crossing town for. For scale and white marble, go to the Central Mosque on the airport road; for genuine age, take a trip to Sayram and its mausoleums and minaret. The Kattani Mosque is a short stop between the square, the citadel and the market.
Paying: entry is free, but you will need money for taxis and the market. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards work at most card terminals, and Shymkent has plenty of ATMs. Small market stalls are easiest with cash, so keep some tenge on you for them and for taxis.
What to see
- The gold dome — best from Ordabasy Square on a sunny day, when the scale pattern catches the light above the trees.
- Al-Fatiha inside the dome — look straight up as you step into the prayer hall.
- The mihrab with the Throne Verse — the niche in the wall facing Mecca, which everyone prays towards.
- The Ordabasy monument, 120 m away — the usual starting point for a walk around downtown.
- The Koshkar-Ata mausoleum, a small tomb by the stream of the same name, 160 m south.
- The Upper Market, a three-to-four-minute walk east — fruit, dried fruit, flatbread and everyday city life.
Shymkent’s mosques compared
| Whereyou are here | Centre, by Ordabasy Square | Old town, by the Citadel | West, Tamerlan Highway 33 | New business centre, Nazarbayev Ave 366 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built | 1995–1997 | Mid-19th century | 2013 | 2024 |
| Capacity | 1,000 or 2,000 (sources differ) | — | 8,000 or 3,000 (sources differ) | Up to 12,000 |
Shymkent has close to a hundred mosques and keeps building more. Two are enough for most visitors: the Kattani on your way round the centre and one of the big new ones. Data: Wikipedia, Mosqpedia, Kazakhstan.travel, Shymkent.info, Informburo.
Before you go: checklist
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Shymkent’s places of worship compared
Every place of worship in Shymkent rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Abdulhamid Kattani Mosqueyou are here | 45 | 20 min | Free | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shymkent Central Mosque | 36 | 30 min | Free | 7.6 km |
| Sayram | 24 | 3 h | Shrines free; museum fee not published | 12.9 km |
Central Shymkent in half a day
Ordabasy Square, the gold dome of the Kattani Mosque, Independence Park and the Citadel mound — all on foot. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.
- Ordabasy Square20 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopAbdulhamid Kattani Mosqueyou are here20 min · Free
- 5 min walk from the previous stopIndependence Park1 h · Free
- 7 min walk from the previous stopShymkent Citadel1 h · 1,000 ₸ for foreign visitors
4 places · about 2 h 55 min with walks · 15 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
Independence Park
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Shymkent Citadel
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Shymkent Arbat
Shymkent, Kazakhstan
How to do it right
- Start at the monument on Ordabasy Square, pop into the mosque, then walk down to the Koshkar-Ata mausoleum — all within 300 metres.
- Photograph the dome from the square on a sunny day, when it shines above the trees.
- Skip Friday around noon: the hall and courtyard are full and it is no time for sightseeing.
- Pack a scarf and covered clothes for the whole day — you will want them at the mausoleums in Sayram too.
- After the mosque, wander into the Upper Market three minutes away for flatbread and dried fruit.
Questions
Which mosque is on Ordabasy Square in Shymkent?
The gold-domed Abdulhamid Kattani Mosque, about 120 m from the monument. Locals and maps often call it the Ordabasy Mosque.
Where is the Kattani Mosque?
In central Shymkent at Tole Bi Street 12/2a, by Ordabasy Square and the Koshkar-Ata stream, in Al-Farabi district.
Can non-Muslims visit the Kattani Mosque?
Yes — between prayers, quietly and modestly dressed. Women need a headscarf, and shoes come off before the prayer hall.
Is there an entrance fee?
No, entry is free. Donations are optional.
What are the Kattani Mosque opening hours?
It is open daily from the dawn to the night prayer. There are no official visiting hours; wait during prayers and avoid Friday midday.
What is the dress code?
Men: long trousers and sleeves. Women: headscarf, covered shoulders and arms, skirt or loose trousers below the knee. Bring your own scarf.
Who built the Kattani Mosque?
It was built in 1995–1997 with the zakat of Abdulhamid Kattani, a resident of Saudi Arabia, and is named after him.
How do I get to the Kattani Mosque?
Bus to the Ordabasy stop or a taxi — about 10 minutes from the railway station, 20–25 from the airport. From the monument it is a 2-minute walk along Tole Bi Street.
Is the Kattani Mosque the oldest in Shymkent?
No. It dates from the 1990s; the oldest is the 19th-century Jami (Koshkar-Ata) Mosque in the old town by the Citadel.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
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Sources and fact-check
- Russian Wikipedia: Abdul-Hamid Kattani (mosque), citing the Muftiate of Kazakhstan, 2017; Wikidata Q12575219
- Kazakh Wikipedia: Qattani meshiti
- Mosqpedia: Abdulhamid Kattani Mosque
- Mosque website kattani.kz (news archive) — chief imam, link to the Muftiate prayer timetable
- Welcome.kz: Ordabasy Square, 2023 — the same-named mosque by the square, bus routes
- 2GIS: Kattani Mosque, Tole Bi Street 12/2a
- OpenStreetMap: Ordabasy meshiti, Koshkar-Ata mausoleum, Ordabasy monument — coordinates for distances
- Shymkent.info: Sights in Shymkent — Jami (Koshkar-Ata) Mosque
- Informburo.kz, 22.01.2024 — on the 19th-century Dauituly Shyngysbai Hajji Mosque
- Kazakhstan.travel — Central Mosque and Seitzhan Kari Yeszhanuly Mosque
- Backpack Moments: Money in Kazakhstan — cards and ATMs for foreign visitors
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