Siab Bazaar
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand
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Photo: Bgag, CC0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Hours
- Daily, ≈ 8:00–19:00; winter ≈ 9:00–17:00
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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. - 40 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Entry (foreign visitors)
- ≈ UZS 75,000
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Closed
- Never — open daily
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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 is safest; Visa and Mastercard work only sometimes
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Bibi-Khanym Mausoleum
- Across the street, separate entry
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 40 minutes
- Dress code
- Shoulders and knees covered
- Address
- Pedestrian Islam Karimov St (formerly Tashkent St), by the Siab Bazaar
Key facts
1399–1404built as Timur’s congregational mosque
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English and Russian WikipediaWelcome.kz≈ 40 mheight of the main dome over the prayer hall
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English and Russian WikipediaHistory Hit35 mheight of the entrance portal
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaWelcome.kz167 × 109 mthe complex within its outer walls
2 sourcesi
English Wikipediaencyclopedic dictionary “Islam in the Former Russian Empire”78 × 64 mthe open courtyard between the galleries
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English and Russian Wikipedia400 columnsof stone once carried the galleries around the courtyard — barely any survive
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English and Russian Wikipedia1897an earthquake brought down the inner arch of the portal
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaHistory Hit1974large-scale restoration began — and is still going on
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English WikipediaHistory HitSaray Mulk KhanumTimur’s senior wife, after whom the mosque is popularly named
2 sourcesi
English WikipediaOrexcaUNESCOpart of the World Heritage site “Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures”
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OrexcaTravel Cost Calculator, Samarkand sectionBibi-Khanym Mosque entrance fee and opening hours
Foreign visitors pay about UZS 75,000 (Uzbek som). Several independent sources from 2026 agree on that figure, though some guides still list 40,000. The official museum-reserve price list wasn’t reachable, so treat it as unofficial. There is no combined pass in Samarkand — the Registan, Gur-e-Amir and Bibi-Khanym each sell their own tickets.
Bring cash in som. A card terminal is sometimes there and Visa or Mastercard may go through, but don’t count on it. Bank ATMs in central Samarkand dispense som, and bank exchange desks change US dollars and euros. Small notes help — big ones are awkward to break.
It opens every day. Unofficially, hours run roughly 8:00–19:00 in summer and 9:00–17:00 from November to March. Some listings claim it stays open until 22:00; don’t plan a late visit around that. Come in the morning, when the courtyard is empty and the sun is still gentle.
Is Bibi-Khanym Mosque worth visiting?
Yes, if you are walking from the Registan to the bazaar anyway — it is on the way and takes under an hour. Nowhere else in Samarkand shows Timur’s ambition so plainly: standing in the courtyard under that portal is the point. Be aware that the inside is largely empty and much of what you see was rebuilt, so there is less original fine tilework than at Shah-i-Zinda or Gur-e-Amir.
Short on time and not keen on another ticket? The dome and portal are easy to see for free from the street, and best of all from the terrace of Hazrat Khizr Mosque on the hill opposite.
How to get to Bibi-Khanym Mosque from the Registan
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
- Siab Bazaar is about 5 min away on foot.
- Hazrat Khizr Mosque is about 8 min away on foot.
- Shah-i-Zinda is about 14 min away on foot.
More tips
- From the Registan, join pedestrian Islam Karimov Street (still often called Tashkent Street), which runs north-east from the square.
- Walk straight north-east past the souvenir shops — about 700 m.
- After 10–15 minutes the mosque portal rises on your left and the Bibi-Khanym Mausoleum on your right, across the street. The ticket desk is at the main gate.
- From the airport or the railway station, a Yandex Go taxi takes 15–20 minutes — ask for “Bibi-Khanym” or “Siab Bazaar”.
- Next, the Siab Bazaar is two minutes away and Shah-i-Zinda 10–15 minutes on, past the bazaar.
A short history
Bibi-Khanym was Timur’s congregational mosque, begun in 1399 after his Indian campaign and meant to hold the whole male population of his capital for Friday prayers. Craftsmen were brought in from India, Khorasan, Fars and Iraq, and the main work was done by 1404, a year before Timur died.
It was among the largest mosques of the Islamic world. Inside walls of 167 by 109 metres lay a courtyard ringed by galleries on some four hundred stone columns, with three domed buildings: the main mosque facing the gate and two smaller ones to the sides.
It went up too fast and too high. The vaults began cracking soon after it was finished, later generations carted off stone and columns, and in 1897 an earthquake brought down the portal arch. By the early 1900s it was a romantic ruin.
Soviet restorers started rebuilding in 1974 — domes, portal and facing — and the work continues today. Much of the masonry is new, built to old plans. The best surviving 15th-century tiles are on the walls and drum of the main dome.
What to see
- The main dome — ribbed and turquoise, about 40 m tall. Step back to the far corner of the courtyard to take it in.
- The 35 m portal — walk through, then turn around: from inside, its sheer size hits harder.
- The marble Quran stand (lauh) in the middle of the courtyard. It dates from the Timurid era, and is widely said to have been placed here by Timur’s grandson Ulugh Beg. Local belief says a woman who crawls beneath it will have many children.
- The two side mosques, each with its own portal and dome.
- Corner minarets on the outer walls and the stumps of gallery columns.
- The Bibi-Khanym Mausoleum across the street — an octagonal building left from a madrasa.
Before you go: checklist
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You are ready for the visit
Bibi-Khanym vs the Registan and Gur-e-Amir
| Bibi-Khanymyou are here | Timur’s Friday mosque | 1399–1404 | Sheer scale of dome and portal | ≈ 40 min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registan | Square with three madrasas | 1417–1660 | Three façades and the evening show | ≈ 1.5 h |
| Gur-e-Amir | Timur’s mausoleum | Early 15th century | Gilded hall and the tomb | 40–60 min |
If you only see one, make it the Registan. Bibi-Khanym is the natural second stop — same pedestrian street, and with the bazaar it takes about an hour.
Samarkand’s mosques and shrines compared
Mosques, mausoleums and shrines in Samarkand rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Gur-e-Amir | 59 | 45 min | ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial | 29 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registan | 57 | 1 h 30 min | 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors | 13 min walk |
| Bibi-Khanym Mosqueyou are here | 49 | 40 min | ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial | — |
| Shah-i-Zinda | 46 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners | 13 min walk |
| Tomb of Saint Daniel | 41 | 40 min | ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial | 33 min walk |
| Hazrat Khizr Mosque | 38 | 30 min | Free | 8 min walk |
On foot from the Registan to Shah-i-Zinda
The Registan in the morning, then up the pedestrian street to Bibi-Khanym, lunch at the bazaar, the Hazrat Khizr terrace and Shah-i-Zinda by late afternoon. YesGo fits in the timing and walks.
- Registan1 h 30 min · 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors
- 13 min walk from the previous stopBibi-Khanym Mosqueyou are here40 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial
- 3 min walk from the previous stopSiab Bazaar1 h · Free entry
- 6 min walk from the previous stopHazrat Khizr Mosque30 min · Free, donations welcome
- 7 min walk from the previous stopShah-i-Zinda1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners
5 places · about 5 h 24 min with walks · 29 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
Hazrat Khizr Mosque
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Shah-i-Zinda
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Registan
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
How to do it right
- Walk from the Registan along the pedestrian street — you won’t need a taxi.
- Pair it with lunch at the Siab Bazaar: the gate is two minutes from the portal.
- Before 10:00 the courtyard is nearly empty — ideal for photos of the dome without people.
- Skipping the ticket? The dome and portal are clear from the street and from the Hazrat Khizr terrace.
- The desk closes earlier in winter — arrive by 16:00.
Questions
How much is the Bibi-Khanym Mosque entrance fee?
Unofficially about UZS 75,000 for foreign visitors. Pay in som, in cash if you can.
What are the Bibi-Khanym Mosque opening hours?
Open daily, roughly 8:00–19:00, and 9:00–17:00 from November to March. These are unofficial hours.
Is Bibi-Khanym Mosque worth visiting?
Yes, as a stop between the Registan and the Siab Bazaar — it shows Timur’s scale better than anything else in town. Much of it is rebuilt, though, so don’t expect delicate original tilework.
How long do you need at Bibi-Khanym Mosque?
About 40 minutes for the courtyard, domes and Quran stand; an hour and a half with the bazaar next door.
How do I get to Bibi-Khanym Mosque from the Registan?
Walk about 700 m north-east along pedestrian Islam Karimov (Tashkent) Street — 10–15 minutes.
Is there a dress code at Bibi-Khanym Mosque?
Cover shoulders and knees. Women should bring a light headscarf — the working mosques nearby expect one.
Who was Bibi-Khanym?
The name honours Timur’s senior wife, Saray Mulk Khanum; “Bibi-khanym” is a respectful title for a noblewoman.
Why did the mosque collapse?
It was built very fast and very high, the vaults cracked early, and an earthquake in 1897 brought down the portal arch. Restoration began in 1974.
Is the Bibi-Khanym Mausoleum the same place?
No. The mausoleum stands across the street, survives from a madrasa and has its own entry.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English and Russian Wikipedia: Bibi-Khanym Mosque; Wikidata Q679218
- History Hit: The Bibi-Khanym Mosque — dome, 1897 earthquake, restoration
- Encyclopedic dictionary “Islam in the Former Russian Empire” — dimensions and craftsmen
- Orexca: Bibi-Khanym Mosque — purpose, side mosques, UNESCO
- Welcome.kz: Bibi-Khanym, 2026 — dates, portal, restoration
- Indian Vagabond and Visit Silk Road — the Quran stand and the mausoleum opposite
- Unofficial fee and hours: Eurasia.travel forum (February 2026), Wanderlog (2026), Travel Cost Calculator (2026)
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