# Bolo-Hauz Mosque, Bukhara > Bolo-Hauz is the working Friday mosque of Bukhara’s emirs, built in 1712 on Registan Square opposite the Ark gate. Its tall iwan stands on **20 carved wooden pillars** that double in the pool in front — hence ‘the mosque of forty pillars’. Entry is **free** (unofficial), it’s open daily in daylight outside prayer times, and 20–30 minutes is enough. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque - City: [Bukhara](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 20 min - Opening hours: Daily in daylight, except during prayers (unofficial) - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; one guide lists about 10,000 UZS - Open: Daily in daylight; visitors wait outside during prayers - Fridays: Midday congregational prayer — the mosque fills up - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; a headscarf for women - Time needed: 20–30 minutes - Where: Registan Square, opposite the Ark gate - Coordinates: 39.77778, 64.40750 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1712** — the winter mosque and the pool in front of it were built (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Bolo Haouz Mosque; Wikidata Q4090820) - **20** — carved wooden pillars hold up the iwan — the reflection makes forty, hence the nickname (source: English Wikipedia: Bolo Haouz Mosque; Routard; Welcome.kz) - **Until 1920** — the Emir of Bukhara came here from the Ark for Friday prayers (source: Russian Wikipedia: Bolo-Hauz; Orexca) - **1917** — the small minaret was added by master builder Shirin Muradov (source: Russian Wikipedia: Bolo-Hauz; Orexca; Eurasia Travel) - **Three sides** — the summer iwan wraps around the winter prayer hall on three sides (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Bolo Haouz Mosque) - **4 columns** — support the vault of the small winter hall (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Bolo Haouz Mosque) - **Muqarnas** — colourful honeycomb capitals crown the iwan pillars (source: English Wikipedia; Orexca; Routard) - **Ganch** — carved plaster panels with geometric and floral patterns line the iwan walls (source: Orexca; Advantour) - **Registan** — the only historic building left standing on the square in front of the Ark (source: Advantour; Orexca) - **UNESCO** — part of the Historic Centre of Bukhara World Heritage Site (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) > **Don’t walk in during prayers** Bolo-Hauz is a working mosque, not a museum. When a prayer starts, visitors are asked to stay out of the hall and not to photograph worshippers. Fridays around midday are the busiest: locals fill the iwan and spill onto the square for the congregational prayer. Aim for a weekday morning or the gap between prayers. ## Bolo-Hauz Mosque entrance fee and opening hours Entry is **free** — the unofficial answer most guides give, as this is a working mosque with no ticket desk. One travel site lists about 10,000 UZS, but nobody else confirms a fee, so treat it as unverified. There is sometimes a donation box; if you want to give, bring a few som in cash. There are no official opening hours. The gate is normally open every day during daylight, and visitors are asked to wait while each of the five daily prayers takes place. A weekday morning is the best time: quiet, few people and soft light on the pillars. On payment more generally: Visa and Mastercard work in many Bukhara hotels and some restaurants, but small sights, cafés and taxi drivers often want cash. Bank ATMs in the old town and around Lyabi-Hauz give som — you’ll need them for the Ark across the square, which does charge for entry. ## What is Bolo-Hauz? Bolo-Hauz is a small ensemble of three parts: the mosque, a hauz (pool) and a minaret. It stands on Registan Square, across the road from the [Ark of Bukhara](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/ark-of-bukhara), and until 1920 it was the emir’s Friday mosque — the ruler crossed over from his citadel to pray here. The oldest part is the **winter mosque and pool of 1712**. The winter hall is compact, its vault resting on four columns. Around it on three sides runs the summer iwan, an open pillared gallery used for prayer in warm weather. The iwan in its present form and the minaret date from **1917**, the work of local master builder Shirin Muradov. The name is usually translated as ‘children’s pool’, though ‘upper pool’ also turns up. The pool once supplied water for ablutions and for the neighbourhood. Today the mosque is in use again, and the ensemble is part of the Historic Centre of Bukhara World Heritage Site. ## Why is it called the mosque of forty pillars? The iwan has **twenty** tall, slender pillars of carved wood. The other twenty are in the water: when the pool is still, each pillar gets a reflected twin. That’s where the nickname comes from, and every local guide will tell you about it. The pillars stand on concrete bases and are topped with **muqarnas** — honeycomb capitals painted in several colours. Above them is the flat wooden ceiling of the iwan, painted and finely carved. It’s one of the finest wooden galleries in old Bukhara. You won’t always get the reflection: the pool is sometimes drained, and wind breaks the surface. For the classic shot, stand on the far side of the pool in the morning or towards sunset, when the sun isn’t glaring straight into the iwan. ## What to see at Bolo-Hauz - **The iwan** — twenty pillars under one long painted ceiling. Stand in the middle and look up; the painting runs the full length. - **The capitals** — coloured muqarnas, honeycomb ‘stalactites’ above the slim shafts. - **Carved ganch** — plaster panels with geometric and floral patterns on the iwan walls. - **The winter hall** — when no prayer is on, you can look in from the door; shoes off on the carpets. - **The pool and the reflection** — the ensemble’s signature view, best from the far bank. - **The 1917 minaret** — short, with bands of brickwork and blue glazed tiles, just beside the mosque. > **Dress code** Cover shoulders and knees — men and women alike. Women should carry a light scarf to cover their hair if they go into the hall. Take your shoes off before stepping on the carpets. Photos in the iwan are fine, but not of people praying and not close up. ## Is Bolo-Hauz worth visiting? Yes, if you’re going to the Ark anyway: the mosque is just across the road, entry is free, and 20 minutes is enough to take in the iwan and the pillars. It’s the most beautiful wooden mosque in old Bukhara and a calm pause after the busy centre. It isn’t worth a special trip on its own: there’s no museum or exhibition, and you can’t go in during prayers. With one day in Bukhara, combine it with the Ark, the [Kalyan Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret) and the [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum) — all within a 10–15-minute walk. ## How to get to Bolo-Hauz Mosque 1. From Po-i-Kalyan square by the Kalyan Minaret, walk north-west along the south wall of the Ark — about 10 minutes to Registan Square. 2. The mosque is on the west side of the square, facing the Ark’s main gate; the pool and iwan look towards the fortress. 3. From Lyabi-Hauz it’s about 20 minutes on foot, west through the [trading domes](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bukhara-trading-domes) and past Po-i-Kalyan. 4. From Bukhara airport (BHK), take a Yandex Go taxi — about 15 minutes. Ask for ‘Bolo-Hauz’ or ‘Registan, Ark’; the old town is pedestrian, so you’ll be dropped at the edge of the square. 5. From the railway station in Kagan, 12 km away, a taxi takes about 25 minutes to Registan Square. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] A headscarf for women, if going into the hall - [ ] Not arriving at prayer time or on Friday at midday - [ ] Socks — shoes come off before the carpets - [ ] A little cash in som for a donation - [ ] The Ark across the road in the same stop ## Bolo-Hauz vs Po-i-Kalyan vs Lyabi-Hauz | | Bolo-Hauz | Po-i-Kalyan | Lyabi-Hauz | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | The emirs’ Friday mosque with a pool | Minaret, great mosque and madrasa | Square around a pool with madrasas and teahouses | | Best for | The 20-pillar wooden iwan | Bukhara’s signature view | Evenings, dinner, sitting by the water | | Time needed | 20–30 min | 30–45 min | 1 h or more | | Best time | Weekday morning | Morning or sunset | Evening | Three sides of Bukhara: Bolo-Hauz is the quiet wooden mosque by the Ark, Po-i-Kalyan with the [Mir-i-Arab Madrasa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/mir-i-arab-madrasa) is the grand centre, and [Lyabi-Hauz](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/lyabi-hauz) is where the day ends. ## Bukhara’s mosques and holy sites compared Every mosque, madrasa and mausoleum in Bukhara rated by YesGo. - [Lyabi-Hauz](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/lyabi-hauz) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Mir-i-Arab Madrasa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/mir-i-arab-madrasa) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; usually no entry past the foyer - [Bolo-Hauz Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Chor Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-minor) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free from outside - [Kalyan Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS - [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free - [Chor-Bakr Necropolis](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-bakr) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS ## Western old Bukhara in half a day Start at the Samanid Mausoleum in the park, cross to Bolo-Hauz and the Ark, then walk on to the Kalyan Minaret and the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa. YesGo fits in the timing and walks. 1. [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free 2. [Bolo-Hauz Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free 3. [Ark of Bukhara](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/ark-of-bukhara) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners 4. [Kalyan Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS 5. [Mir-i-Arab Madrasa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/mir-i-arab-madrasa) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; usually no entry past the foyer ## Good to know Bolo-Hauz and Lyabi-Hauz are two different pools 20 minutes apart: one is the mosque by the Ark, the other a square with madrasas and teahouses. Spellings vary — Bolo Haouz, Bolo Hovuz and Bolo-Khauz are all this mosque. The tall metal tower next to it is an old Shukhov water tower and not part of the ensemble. ## Tips - Go before the Ark: the mosque is quiet in the morning, and the fortress across the road opens at about the same time. - Shoot the iwan’s reflection from the far bank of the pool on a still day. - To see the mosque at its liveliest, stand on the square just before Friday midday prayers — but don’t go in then. - Bring socks: if you step into the winter hall, shoes stay at the door. - Look up: the painted iwan ceiling is the finest detail here, and it’s easy to miss. - From the mosque it’s a 10–15-minute walk through Samani Park to the Samanid Mausoleum — a natural next stop to the west. ## Questions ### Is Bolo-Hauz Mosque free to visit? Yes, unofficially — it’s a working mosque with no ticket desk. One travel site lists about 10,000 UZS, but no other source confirms a fee. Donations in cash are welcome. ### What are Bolo-Hauz Mosque opening hours? Daily during daylight. There’s no official schedule; visitors wait outside during prayers, and on Fridays around midday the mosque is taken up by the congregational prayer. ### Can non-Muslims visit Bolo-Hauz? Yes. Tourists can walk into the iwan outside prayer times, dressed modestly. Look into the winter hall from the door or ask before going in. ### What is the dress code at Bolo-Hauz? Shoulders and knees covered for everyone; women should cover their hair if they enter the hall. Shoes come off before the carpets. ### Why is it called the mosque of forty pillars? The iwan has twenty wooden pillars, and their reflection in the pool makes forty. The nickname comes from that view. ### When was Bolo-Hauz Mosque built? The winter mosque and pool date from 1712. The iwan in its present form and the minaret date from 1917, built by master Shirin Muradov. ### How long do you need at Bolo-Hauz? 20–30 minutes for the iwan, pillars, ceiling, pool and minaret. Most people pair it with the Ark across the road. ### How do I get to Bolo-Hauz from the Kalyan Minaret? Walk north-west along the Ark’s south wall to Registan Square — about 10 minutes. From the airport, a Yandex Go taxi takes about 15 minutes. ### Is Bolo-Hauz worth it? Yes, as part of a visit to the Ark — it’s free, right across the road and the finest wooden iwan in Bukhara. On its own it isn’t worth a special trip. ## How we checked The mosque has no official website or published schedule, so entry, hours and Friday prayers are marked unofficial. Entry: Airial Travel and most guides say free, Routard says no fee is clearly set, Sputnik8 gives about 10,000 UZS; we show free and mention the outlier. Hours differ too (Sputnik8 gives 9:00–18:00, others say no fixed hours apart from prayer times), so we say ‘daylight’. The 20 pillars come from English Wikipedia, Routard, Welcome.kz and Turkestan Travel; Sputnik8’s ‘forty columns’ is the reflection nickname. The 1917 minaret and builder Shirin Muradov are from Russian Wikipedia, Orexca and Eurasia Travel; English Wikipedia gives 1916–1917. Sources disagree whether the iwan was added (Orexca, Routard) or repaired (Russian Wikipedia) in 1917, so we say ‘in its present form’. We don’t name a patron: some sources credit a ruler’s wife or mother, others Emir Shahmurad, who only reigned from 1785 and can’t fit 1712. The name has two translations, and we give both. Card acceptance is described from general Bukhara practice, not from this site. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Bolo Haouz Mosque - Russian Wikipedia: Bolo-Hauz - Wikidata: Q4090820 - Orexca: Bolo Hauz Mosque, Bukhara - Advantour: Bolo-Hauz Complex, Bukhara - Eurasia Travel: Bolo-Khauz Complex - Welcome.kz: Bolo-Hauz, 2026 - Turkestan Travel: Bolo Havuz Complex - Routard: Mosquée Bolo-Hauz - Airial Travel: Bolo Hauz Mosque Bukhara — entry and dress code - Sputnik8: Bolo-Hauz Mosque — hours and entry fee --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.