Itchan Kala
Khiva, Uzbekistan
Juma Mosque, Khiva
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Photo: Bgag, CC0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Included in the Itchan Kala combined ticket; not sold separately
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Roughly 8:00–18:00, daily
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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. - 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Combined ticket
- ≈ 250,000 UZS for foreign visitors, valid 48 hours
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Minaret climb
- Not in the combined ticket; paid separately, not always open
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Where to buy
- Ticket office at the West Gate (Ota Darvoza) and the other gates
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Payment
- Cash in som; cards only in bigger hotels and restaurants
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Dress
- Shoulders and knees covered
- Getting there
- ≈ 4 minutes’ walk east of the West Gate along the main street
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes; about an hour with the minaret and photos
Key facts
213 columnsof carved wood hold up the flat roof; some sources say 212 or 218
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Russian WikipediaAdvantourTurkestan Travel (212 — English Wikipedia and Orexca218 — Aviasales)21 columnsdate from the 10th–12th centuries — the oldest, with Kufic inscriptions
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Russian WikipediaOrexca1788the mosque was rebuilt in its present form; the south door is dated 1203 AH
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English WikipediaOrexcaTurkestan Travel10th centuryfirst mention of Khiva’s Friday mosque, by the Arab geographer al-Maqdisi
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Russian WikipediaOrexcaTurkestan Travel55 × 46 mthe building — one undivided hall
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English WikipediaAdvantourTurkestan TravelAbdurahman Mehtarthe khan’s vizier who paid for the 18th-century rebuild
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Russian WikipediaOrexcaTurkestan TravelNo domeno portal, gallery or courtyard — a rare mosque type in Central Asia
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Russian WikipediaTripster journalKaththe old capital of Khorezm, possible origin of the oldest columns
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Russian WikipediaOrexca1316earliest date carved on the doors and columns; 1788 and 1789 appear too
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Russian WikipediaAdvantourElmkaragach (elm) is the main wood of the columns
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Turkestan TravelTripster journalAviasalesJuma Mosque tickets and opening hours
There’s no ticket for the mosque on its own. Entry comes with the Itchan Kala combined ticket — about 250,000 UZS for foreign visitors and valid for 48 hours, by unofficial autumn 2026 figures. A cheaper walk-only pass (about 100,000 UZS) gets you through the gates but not into the museums or this mosque. Some guides still quote 150,000 UZS, so treat the price as a guide.
The hall is open roughly 8:00–18:00, every day. On Fridays around midday it may close briefly for prayers. Inside the walls the streets stay open into the evening, but the mosque does not — come in daylight.
Climbing minarets and lookout towers is not covered by the combined ticket — that includes the mosque’s own minaret and the Islam Khodja Minaret. Neither are the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum or the Nurullabay Palace.
Is the Juma Mosque worth visiting?
Yes — it’s one of the handful of places in Khiva you shouldn’t skip, and there is nothing like it elsewhere in town. Just don’t expect tiles or domes. From the street it’s a plain brick box; the beauty is inside, in the wood, the half-light and the rhythm of the columns. If you only love bright façades, 15 minutes will do.
Come around midday, when the sun is high and shafts of light drop through the roof openings between the columns. First thing in the morning is quietest. Late in the afternoon the hall gets dark and photos suffer. In summer the shady hall is also a break from the heat.
What makes the hall special
Juma means Friday: this was the city’s main congregational mosque. A Friday mosque in Khiva is mentioned as early as the 10th century by the geographer al-Maqdisi, and the present building was rebuilt in 1788, paid for by the khan’s vizier Abdurahman Mehtar.
There’s no dome, portal or courtyard — just one hall, 55 by 46 metres, filled with 213 wooden columns in an even grid. Most were carved in the 18th–19th centuries, but 21 date from the 10th–12th, some with Kufic inscriptions. One theory says the oldest were brought from Kath, the old capital of Khorezm. Almost no two are alike.
What to see inside
- The oldest columns — thin, dark and worn, with faint Kufic script; they stand out from the smoother 19th-century ones.
- Compare the columns side by side: hardly two are alike in carving, thickness or colour.
- The carved south door, dated 1203 AH — the year of the 1788 rebuild.
- Light from the roof openings, best around noon.
- The view along the diagonal from a corner, where the columns line up into corridors.
- The mosque’s minaret from outside — a brick tower with a lantern on top, right over the main street.
How to get to the Juma 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
- Itchan Kala is about 1 min away on foot.
- Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum is about 2 min away on foot.
- Islam Khodja Minaret is about 2 min away on foot.
More tips
- From Urgench airport (UGC) or Urgench station, take a Yandex Go taxi to Khiva — about 35 km and 30–40 minutes. The Urgench–Khiva trolleybus is cheaper but takes about 1.5 hours.
- Arriving by train at Khiva station? It’s about 1.5 km east of the old town: walk around 20 minutes to the East Gate (Palvan Darvoza); the mosque is on the same main street.
- Enter Itchan Kala through the West Gate (Ota Darvoza) and buy the combined ticket at the office by the gate.
- Walk straight east along the main street, past Kalta Minor — about 4 minutes.
- The mosque is the low brick building with a minaret halfway along; your ticket is checked at the door.
Before you go: checklist
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You are ready for the visit
Juma Mosque vs Kunya-Ark and Tash Hauli
| Juma Mosqueyou are here | Friday mosque, a hall of carved columns | Wood, half-light, light from the roof | Combined ticket | 20–30 min | Centre, on the main street |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunya-Ark | The khans’ old citadel inside Itchan Kala | Tiled iwans and a lookout tower | Combined ticket; tower extra | ≈ 1 h | By the West Gate |
| Tash Hauli | 19th-century khan’s palace with a harem | Tiled iwans and courtyards | Combined ticket | ≈ 1 h | By the East Gate |
Short on time? All three lie on one line from the West Gate to the East Gate — you can do them in half a day.
Khiva’s mosques and shrines compared
Every mosque, madrasa and mausoleum in Khiva rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Kalta Minor | 45 | 20 min | Free | 3 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juma Mosqueyou are here | 39 | 30 min | Itchan Kala ticket, ≈ 250,000 UZS | — |
| Islam Khodja Minaret | 39 | 40 min | Climb ≈ 100,000 UZS | 3 min walk |
| Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum | 39 | 30 min | ≈ 20,000–30,000 UZS, separate | 3 min walk |
| Itchan Kala | 34 | 3 h | ≈ 250,000 UZS, valid 48 hours | 3 min walk |
Itchan Kala in half a day
From the citadel by the West Gate to the hall of columns, the Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum, the tallest minaret and the palace by the East Gate. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.
- Kunya-Ark1 h 15 min · ≈ 250,000 UZS pass; tower extra
- 4 min walk from the previous stopJuma Mosqueyou are here30 min · Itchan Kala ticket, ≈ 250,000 UZS
- 3 min walk from the previous stopPahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum30 min · ≈ 20,000–30,000 UZS, separate
- 3 min walk from the previous stopIslam Khodja Minaret40 min · Climb ≈ 100,000 UZS
- 4 min walk from the previous stopTash-Hauli Palace1 h · Itchan Kala pass ≈ 250,000 UZS
5 places · about 4 h 9 min with walks · 14 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum
Khiva, Uzbekistan
Islam Khodja Minaret
Khiva, Uzbekistan
Tash-Hauli Palace
Khiva, Uzbekistan
How to do it right
- Start at the Kunya-Ark by the West Gate and reach the mosque around noon for the light.
- Skip the flash and shoot from low down — the rows of columns look deeper.
- The combined ticket lasts 48 hours, so you can come back for a second look the next morning.
- Minaret shut? The view is better from the Islam Khodja Minaret anyway.
- Itchan Kala is lit up at night, but the mosque is closed by then — come in daylight.
Questions
How much is the Juma Mosque in Khiva?
There’s no separate ticket — it’s covered by the Itchan Kala combined ticket, about 250,000 UZS for 48 hours (unofficial). Buy it at the West Gate.
What are the Juma Mosque opening hours?
Roughly 8:00–18:00 every day, by unofficial figures. It may close briefly for Friday midday prayers.
Can you climb the Juma Mosque minaret?
Sometimes, for a separate cash fee — it isn’t in the combined ticket and is often closed. The Islam Khodja Minaret is the reliable climb.
How many columns does the Juma Mosque have?
Usually 213 carved wooden columns, though some sources say 212 or 218. Twenty-one date from the 10th–12th centuries.
How do I get to the Juma Mosque?
Enter Itchan Kala through the West Gate and walk east along the main street for about 4 minutes, past Kalta Minor.
How old is the Juma Mosque in Khiva?
A Friday mosque is recorded here from the 10th century; the current building dates from the 1788 rebuild, with some columns far older.
How long do you need at the Juma Mosque?
20–30 minutes for the hall, about an hour with the minaret and photos.
Is there a dress code?
Cover shoulders and knees. Women may want a light scarf.
Can I pay by card?
Rarely at ticket desks. Carry cash in som; ATMs are by the West Gate.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Juma Mosque (Khiva); Russian Wikipedia: Juma Mosque (Khiva); Wikidata Q4160568
- Orexca: Juma Mosque and minaret, Khiva
- Advantour: Juma Mosque, Khiva
- Turkestan Travel: Khiva — Juma Mosque
- Tripster journal: Khiva in one day, updated August 2026
- Aviasales.kz: What to see in Khiva, September 2026 — combined ticket, hours, extras
- Aviasales.uz: What to see in Khiva, July 2026 — hours, ticket office, payment, transport from Urgench
- Tripadvisor listing for Itchan Kala and a GuruWalk tour page — combined ticket price and validity
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