# Hazrat Khizr Mosque, Samarkand > Hazrat Khizr is a small working mosque from the 1850s on the southern edge of Afrasiab hill, above the Siab Bazaar. Come for the painted wooden iwan and the terrace view over Bibi-Khanym. Entry is free (unofficial), it opens daily roughly 8:00–18:00 and closes to visitors during prayers. Half an hour is enough. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islam Karimov, is buried in the grounds. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/hazrat-khizr-mosque - City: [Samarkand](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 30 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free, donations welcome; one guide mentions a small photo fee - Opening hours: Daily ≈ 8:00–18:00, other sources 7:00–19:00 - Closed: No weekly closing day; closed to visitors during prayers - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair - Time needed: 30–45 minutes with the terrace and the mausoleum - From the Registan: ≈ 1.1 km as the crow flies: about 20 min on foot or 5 min by taxi - Next door: Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda, 5 minutes’ walk each - Coordinates: 39.66345, 66.98326 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1854** — the present building went up on old foundations; the mihrab inscription says 1855 (source: English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia; Turkestan Travel) - **Karimov’s tomb** — Uzbekistan’s first president was buried here in September 2016; his mausoleum opened in 2018 (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Silk Road Tourism) - **Afrasiab hill** — the mosque sits on the southern edge of the mound of ancient Samarkand (source: Russian Wikipedia; Advantour) - **8th century** — by tradition, Arab conquerors built the first mosque here over a Sogdian fire temple (source: English Wikipedia; Orexca) - **1220** — the old mosque was destroyed by the Mongols; only the foundations survived (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1919** — master builder Abdukadyr Bakiev finished the entrance portal and the eastern minaret (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Turkestan Travel) - **30 × 16 m** — the footprint of the building, an asymmetrical rectangle (source: Russian Wikipedia; Advantour) - **Khizr** — the Islamic saint of travellers and keeper of the “water of life”, after whom the mosque is named (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca) - **Ribbed dome** — over the entrance hall, raised on a many-sided drum (source: Russian Wikipedia; Turkestan Travel) - **1899** — the iwan was rebuilt and the gatehouse (darvazakhana) added (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) > **Dress code and etiquette** This is a working mosque, and the mausoleum beside it is a place of national mourning for many Uzbeks. **Cover your shoulders and knees**; women should cover their hair, and men should skip shorts. Shoes come off before the prayer hall. Visitors are kept out during prayers, so speak quietly and don’t photograph people praying. ## Is Hazrat Khizr Mosque free to enter? **Unofficially, yes.** There is no ticket office like those at [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) or the [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan), and we found no official price list. Most sources describe entry to the mosque and grounds as free; a donation box stands by the door. One Japanese guidebook lists a small entry charge plus separate fees for photos and video, which other sources don’t mention. Carry a few small som notes just in case — if a caretaker asks for a camera fee, you won’t be paying it by card. Money in Samarkand: ticket offices at the big sights often take Visa and Mastercard, but terminals fail, and small places run on cash. City ATMs usually accept foreign cards, though not every machine does; locals pay with Uzbek Uzcard and Humo cards. ## Hazrat Khizr Mosque opening hours The mosque opens every day with no weekly closure. There is no official timetable online and sources disagree: **8:00–18:00** is the most common, with 7:00–19:00 and 8:00–17:00 also listed. Plan on daylight hours and don’t turn up right at closing time. During prayers visitors are kept out, most noticeably around midday on Fridays. If you arrive during a prayer, wait on the terrace — the view is the best part anyway — and the doors reopen once it ends. Late afternoon is the best time. Low sun lights up the domes of [Bibi-Khanym](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque) across the road, and the painted iwan ceiling glows in the shade. ## What is Hazrat Khizr Mosque? The site is one of the oldest places of worship in Samarkand. Tradition says Arab conquerors built the city’s first mosque here in the early 8th century, over a Sogdian fire temple by the southern gate of Afrasiab. The Mongols destroyed it in 1220. Today’s building dates from **1854**, on the old foundations, with additions until 1919. It is named after **Khizr** (Khidr), the Islamic saint of travellers who is said to know the source of the water of life. A local legend tells of a white bird that broke the dam Arab troops built to flood the citadel. Architecturally it is a modest neighbourhood mosque rather than a grand Timurid monument. What makes it special is the woodwork and paint: five carved columns on the iwan, a painted ceiling with carved plaster, a 19th-century carved door, a ribbed dome over the entrance and a free-standing minaret. In 2016 **Islam Karimov**, Uzbekistan’s first president, was buried in the grounds, and in 2018 his white-marble mausoleum with tiled decoration opened. On public holidays the site fills with Uzbek visitors paying their respects. ## Is it worth visiting? Yes, if you are already walking between the Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda — it costs nothing, takes half an hour and gives you the best free viewpoint over Bibi-Khanym. The painted iwan is one of the prettiest bits of 19th-century woodwork in town. It is not worth a special trip. If you have only a few hours in Samarkand, put the Registan, Gur-e-Amir and Shah-i-Zinda first, and climb up here only if the stairs suit you. ## What to see - **The iwan** — a summer gallery on carved wooden columns painted orange, turquoise and green. - **The iwan ceiling** — paintings and carved plaster; stand by the far column for the full effect. - **The carved door** from the 19th century: the relief is shallow, so the shadows draw the pattern. - **The entrance portal** with its small corner towers (guldasta) and the hall under the ribbed dome. - **The minaret** of 1919, standing apart from the building on the east side. - **The terrace**, looking over Bibi-Khanym, the Siab Bazaar and the domes of the old town. - **The Islam Karimov mausoleum** — white marble outside, tiles and gilded painting inside. - Across the road, the domes of Shah-i-Zinda: from the hill you can see the start of the lane of tombs. ## How to get to Hazrat Khizr Mosque 1. Start at the Registan — the mosque is about 1.1 km away as the crow flies, roughly a 20-minute walk. 2. Walk north-east along pedestrian Tashkent Street to Bibi-Khanym Mosque — about 10 minutes. 3. Walk along the [Siab Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/siab-bazaar) to the junction of Shohizinda Street and Islam Karimov Street — another 5–7 minutes. 4. The mosque stands on the hill above the junction; a steep staircase leads up to the entrance and terrace. 5. Rather ride? Order a car in the Yandex Go app — about 5 minutes from the Registan, 15–20 minutes from the railway station or the airport. City buses stop by the Siab Bazaar; Moovit is the easiest way to pick a route number. 6. Afterwards, cross the road to Shah-i-Zinda, five minutes on foot. ## Before you go - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered - [ ] Headscarf for women - [ ] A few som notes for a donation - [ ] Shoes that slip off easily - [ ] Prayer times checked, especially on a Friday - [ ] Legs ready for a steep staircase ## Hazrat Khizr vs Bibi-Khanym vs Shah-i-Zinda | | Hazrat Khizr | Bibi-Khanym | Shah-i-Zinda | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Small 19th-c. mosque | Timur’s great mosque | Lane of 11th–19th c. tombs | | Best for | Painted iwan and the view | Scale of the portal and domes | Tilework up close | | Entry | Free | Paid | Paid | | Time needed | 30–45 min | ≈ 40 min | 1–1.5 h | | Dress | Modest, headscarf for women | Modest | Strictly modest — shrine | Entry details are unofficial. Hazrat Khizr won’t replace Bibi-Khanym or Shah-i-Zinda, but it sits right between them, costs nothing and has the best view of both. Drop in on the way rather than making a separate trip. ## Mosques and shrines of Samarkand compared Samarkand’s mosques, mausoleums and shrines rated by YesGo. - [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial - [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors - [Bibi-Khanym Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial - [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners - [Tomb of Saint Daniel](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/tomb-of-saint-daniel) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial - [Hazrat Khizr Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/hazrat-khizr-mosque) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, donations welcome ## Registan to Shah-i-Zinda in half a day The square, the great mosque, the bazaar, the hilltop mosque and the necropolis — all on foot in one line. YesGo sets the times and walks between them. 1. [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors 2. [Bibi-Khanym Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial 3. [Siab Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/siab-bazaar) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry 4. [Hazrat Khizr Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/hazrat-khizr-mosque) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, donations welcome 5. [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners > **The best photo is from the terrace** Stand at the edge of the terrace facing south-west: the domes of Bibi-Khanym and the roofs of the Siab Bazaar fit in one frame. Photography may be banned inside the mosque and the mausoleum — check the signs and ask the caretaker. ## Don’t confuse Hazrat Khizr in Samarkand is not one of the other mosques and shrines named after Khizr elsewhere in Central Asia. Afrasiab hill also holds the [Afrasiab Museum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/afrasiab-museum), with 7th-century murals, and the [Tomb of Saint Daniel](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/tomb-of-saint-daniel) — separate sights further north. ## Tips - Slot it in between the Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda — the detour takes half an hour and the terrace view repays it. - Keep a scarf and a light cover-up in your bag all day: you will need them here, at Shah-i-Zinda and at [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir). - Avoid Friday around midday: it is the main prayer of the week and visitors won’t be let in. - The staircase is steep: take it slowly, and in summer bring water and a hat. - Heading to the [Ulugh Beg Observatory](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/ulugh-beg-observatory)? The mosque is on the way, along the same road north-east. ## Questions ### Is Hazrat Khizr Mosque free? Unofficially, yes — there is no ticket office and donations are optional. One guidebook mentions a small photo and video fee, so carry a few som notes. ### What are the Hazrat Khizr Mosque opening hours? Daily; 8:00–18:00 is the most common listing, other sources say 7:00–19:00. Visitors are kept out during prayers. We found no official timetable. ### Who is buried at Hazrat Khizr Mosque? Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan’s first president. He was buried here in September 2016 and his mausoleum opened in 2018; it is open to visitors. ### Is Hazrat Khizr Mosque worth visiting? Yes, as a stop between the Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda: it is free, quick and has the best view of Bibi-Khanym. It isn’t worth a separate trip. ### How do I get to Hazrat Khizr Mosque from the Registan? Walk about 20 minutes north-east along Tashkent Street past Bibi-Khanym and the Siab Bazaar, then up a steep staircase. A Yandex Go taxi takes about 5 minutes. ### How old is Hazrat Khizr Mosque? The present building dates from 1854, finished by 1919. By tradition a mosque stood here from the 8th century until the Mongols destroyed it in 1220. ### Who was Khizr? An Islamic saint, the patron of travellers and keeper of the water of life. The mosque is named after him. ### What should I wear to Hazrat Khizr Mosque? Cover shoulders and knees; women should cover their hair. Shoes come off in the prayer hall. Shorts and vest tops are out of place. ### How long do you need at Hazrat Khizr Mosque? 30–45 minutes for the iwan, the terrace and Karimov’s mausoleum. Pair it with the Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda, five minutes away each. ## How we checked We found no official page with prices or hours for the mosque. Entry: Sputnik8, Aviasales and Silk Road Tourism call it free, while the Japanese guide 4travel lists a small charge and a camera fee; we show free, marked as checking, and warn about the fee. Hours differ (8:00–18:00, 7:00–19:00, 8:00–17:00); we show the most common and the next one. Building date: 1854 in Wikipedia and Turkestan Travel, 1855 on the mihrab inscription; we show both. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. The distance from the Registan is calculated from Wikidata coordinates; walking time is an estimate (route ≈ 1.3 × straight line at 4.5 km/h). ## Sources - English and Russian Wikipedia: “Hazrat Khizr Mosque”; Wikidata Q4292369 - Orexca: “Hazrat-Khizr Mosque” — history, decoration, view - Advantour: “Hazrat Hyzr Mosque” — dimensions, layout, minaret - Turkestan Travel: “Hazrat Khizr Mosque” — rebuilding dates, architecture - Sputnik8: “Hazrat Khizr Mosque” — entry, hours, visiting rules - Silk Road Tourism (CAREC programme): “Hazrat Hizr Mosque” — Karimov mausoleum - Government portal of Uzbekistan — opening of the Islam Karimov memorial complex --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.