# Hazrati Imam Complex, Tashkent > The Hazrati Imam Complex (also called Khast Imam) is the religious centre of Tashkent’s old town: a 16th-century mausoleum, the Barakhan madrasa and a twin-minaret Friday mosque built in 2007. The square is **open daily and free to enter**; give it 45 minutes to an hour. The mosque closes to visitors during prayers. Heads-up: the original **Uthman Quran** moved next door to the Center for Islamic Civilization in November 2025 — the madrasa now shows a copy. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/hazrati-imam - City: [Tashkent](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry to the square: Free - Muyi Muborak museum: Small fee, unofficially about USD 2–4 paid in som - Hours: Daily, unofficially about 9:00–18:00; each building keeps its own hours - Prayer times: The mosque is closed to visitors during prayers; Friday midday is the busiest - Uthman Quran: The original is in the Center for Islamic Civilization next door; the madrasa shows a copy - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; headscarf for women in the mosque and mausoleum; shoes off - Payment: Bring Uzbek som in cash for the museum and craft stalls - Nearest metro: Chorsu or Gʻafur Gʻulom, then about a 20-minute walk - Address: Zarqaynar and Qorasaroy streets, Olmazor district - Time needed: 45 minutes to 1 hour - Coordinates: 41.33738, 69.23990 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1541–1542** — the current Kaffal Shashi mausoleum was built over the grave of Tashkent’s first imam-khatib, by architect Ghulam Husayn (source: English Wikipedia; Orexca; Advantour) - **November 2025** — the original Uthman Quran moved from the Muyi Muborak madrasa to the Center for Islamic Civilization next door (source: English Wikipedia; Fergana, 24.11.2025; Advantour) - **2007** — the Hazrati Imam Friday Mosque with its two minarets was built (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Advantour) - **1531–1532** — the Barakhan madrasa was built — the oldest building in the ensemble (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **≈ 52–53 m** — height of the mosque’s minarets — sources differ by a metre (source: Advantour (52 m); Russian Wikipedia and Visit Tashkent (53 m)) - **353 leaves** — in the Samarkand Kufic Quran, the parchment manuscript linked to Caliph Uthman (source: Orexca; Yep.uz) - **1966** — the mausoleum and its neighbours survived the earthquake that levelled much of old Tashkent (source: English Wikipedia; Advantour) - **1971** — the Imam al-Bukhari Islamic Institute opened here (source: English Wikipedia; Orexca; Advantour) - **20,000+** — manuscripts and books in the Muslim Board library at the Muyi Muborak madrasa (source: Orexca; Yep.uz) - **1865** — the Namazgoh Mosque was built; it is no longer used for prayer (source: Orexca; Advantour (Russian Wikipedia gives 1845–1865)) - **1989** — the Uthman Quran returned to the complex, where it stayed until 2025 (source: English Wikipedia) > **The Uthman Quran is no longer here** For decades people came for the ancient Quran, but in November 2025 the original moved to the Quran hall of the **Center for Islamic Civilization**, the huge new building across the road. The Muyi Muborak madrasa now displays a copy. If the manuscript is your reason to come, budget a separate hour for the centre — unofficially it sells timed tickets. ## Is the Hazrati Imam Complex worth visiting? Yes, if you have a day in Tashkent. It is the best place in the capital to see historic Islamic architecture without travelling on, it is free, and it sits a 20-minute walk from Chorsu Bazaar, so the two fill a morning together. Set your expectations, though. Only a few buildings are old — the Barakhan madrasa from 1531–1532 and the Kaffal Shashi mausoleum from 1541–1542. The largest building, the Friday Mosque, went up in 2007, and the square around it is paved, landscaped and very new. If you are heading to Samarkand or Bukhara, think of this as a preview rather than the main event. What makes it different is that it is a working religious centre: the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan has its seat here, students attend the Imam al-Bukhari Institute, and on Fridays the square fills for midday prayers. ## Entry fee and opening hours The square, the courtyards and the mosques from outside are **free**. There are no official hours: unofficially the grounds are open from morning until about 18:00, and some guides say 21:00. Each building keeps its own schedule, and the mosque closes to visitors during prayers. The museum in the Muyi Muborak madrasa charges a small fee — unofficially the equivalent of USD 2–4, paid in Uzbek som. Bring cash: local Uzcard and Humo cards work almost everywhere, but foreign Visa and Mastercard are not accepted at every desk or craft stall. Weekday mornings are the calmest. Avoid Friday around noon unless you want to see the main prayer of the week — you won’t get inside the mosque then. After dark the minarets are lit, which makes for a quick evening photo. ## Prayer times today — when visitors can’t enter Times are calculated for the complex’s coordinates and may differ by a few minutes from the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan timetable. There is no official closing window, so leave a margin: come at least 40 minutes after a prayer starts. Today's prayer times are on the web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/hazrati-imam > **What to wear** Cover shoulders and knees — men and women alike; save shorts and tank tops for the city. Women need a headscarf for the mosque and the mausoleum: bring your own, as loaner robes and scarves are not always available. Take your shoes off at the door, and during prayers don’t photograph worshippers or walk in front of them. ## What to see at Hazrati Imam - **Hazrati Imam Friday Mosque** — the twin minarets, about 52–53 m tall, and a tiled portal. Guidebooks say the porch columns are carved Indian sandalwood and the domes are gilded inside. - **Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum** — a small 16th-century domed tomb in fired brick with blue majolica and carved ganch screens. The whole ensemble grew up around this grave. - **Barakhan Madrasa** — a courtyard ringed with two tiers of cells, now workshops selling woodcarving, embroidery, miniatures and ceramics. - **Muyi Muborak Madrasa** — the name means “sacred hair”: it keeps a relic associated with the Prophet Muhammad and Qurans in many languages. Dated to the 16th century, rebuilt in 1856–1857. - **Tilla Sheikh Mosque** — an older neighbourhood mosque with a wooden porch; sources date it to the mid or late 19th century. - **Center for Islamic Civilization** across the road — the vast new museum with the original Uthman Quran; it needs its own ticket and its own time slot. ## How to get to the Hazrati Imam Complex 1. From Amir Timur Square, take the metro at Amir Temur Xiyoboni and ride the Chilonzor line two stops to Paxtakor. 2. Change to Alisher Navoiy on the Oʻzbekiston line and ride two stops towards Beruniy to Chorsu — about 15 minutes underground including the change. Pay with a QR ticket from the desk or an ATTO transport card. 3. Exit towards Chorsu Bazaar and the Kukeldash madrasa and walk north along Zarqaynar street — about 1.5 km, roughly 20 minutes. Gʻafur Gʻulom station is a similar walk. 4. Buses 42, 43, 109 and 111 stop at “Mechet Khast-Imam” according to the Tonkosti guide — check the route in a local transit app first. 5. By taxi, Yandex Go takes 15–20 minutes from Amir Timur Square; type “Hazrati Imom”. In summer heat this is the easy option. ## Before you go - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered, a scarf in the bag - [ ] Not Friday midday, not prayer time - [ ] Uzbek som in cash for the museum and stalls - [ ] Decided whether to see the original Quran at the Center for Islamic Civilization - [ ] 45 minutes to an hour, plus the walk to Chorsu Bazaar ## Hazrati Imam, Chorsu Bazaar or the Museum of Applied Arts? | | Hazrati Imam | Chorsu Bazaar | Museum of Applied Arts | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Mosques, madrasas and a mausoleum, 16th–21st c. | The old town’s main market under a blue dome | Carved mansion and a crafts collection | | Entry | Square free, museum cheap | Free | ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial | | Time needed | 45 min – 1 h | 1–1.5 h | ≈ 1 h | | Catch | Dress code and prayer times | None | Ticket desk until 17:00, unofficial | [Chorsu Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/chorsu-bazaar) is a 20-minute walk away — do them in one morning. The [Museum of Applied Arts](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/tashkent-applied-arts-museum) shows Uzbek crafts indoors; Hazrati Imam is architecture and living religious life in the open air. ## Sacred and historic Tashkent Every place like this in Tashkent with its YesGo score. - [Hazrati Imam Complex](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/hazrati-imam) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free; Quran museum has a small fee ## Old town and metro in a day Morning at the Hazrati Imam mosques and madrasas, a walk to Chorsu Bazaar for lunch, the Oʻzbekiston line to the Museum of Applied Arts, and the Navoi Theatre in the evening. YesGo sets the timing and the transfers. 1. [Hazrati Imam Complex](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/hazrati-imam) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free; Quran museum has a small fee 2. [Chorsu Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/chorsu-bazaar) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [Museum of Applied Arts](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/tashkent-applied-arts-museum) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial 4. [Navoi Theatre](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/tashkent/navoi-theatre) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Shows from 77,000 som > **Mausoleum first, stalls last** In the morning the Barakhan courtyard is quiet and the Kaffal Shashi mausoleum is in shade. Start there and at the mosque, and leave the craft stalls for the end — by late morning they are all open. ## Restoration In April 2025 Uzbekistan’s Cultural Heritage Agency approved restoration projects for the Kaffal Shashi mausoleum, the Barakhan and Muyi Muborak madrasas, and the Namazgoh and Tilla Sheikh mosques. No timeline or closures were announced, so some buildings may be under scaffolding. ## Tips - Pair it with Chorsu Bazaar: it’s a 20-minute walk, and lunch at the bazaar follows naturally. - Want the real Uthman Quran? Head to the Center for Islamic Civilization across the road — the madrasa now has a copy. - Women should bring their own scarf rather than wait for a loaner at the door. - On Fridays the square fills with worshippers around noon — choose another day for a relaxed visit. - Kids have room to roam: a big car-free square with fountains and pigeons. Just remind them to keep quiet inside the mosque. - The craft stalls in the Barakhan madrasa are run by the makers — ask if you can watch them work. ## Questions ### Is there an entry fee at the Hazrati Imam Complex? The square and courtyards are free. The museum in the Muyi Muborak madrasa charges a small fee, unofficially around USD 2–4 paid in som. Bring cash. ### What are the Hazrati Imam opening hours? The grounds are open daily, unofficially about 9:00–18:00. Individual buildings keep their own hours, and the mosque closes to visitors during prayers. ### Is the Uthman Quran still at Hazrati Imam? No. Since November 2025 the original has been in the Quran hall of the Center for Islamic Civilization next door. The Muyi Muborak madrasa displays a copy. ### How do I get to Hazrati Imam from Chorsu Bazaar? Walk north along Zarqaynar street — about 1.5 km, roughly 20 minutes. Chorsu metro station is right by the bazaar. ### Can non-Muslims go inside the mosque? Yes, outside prayer times. Cover shoulders and knees, women should wear a headscarf, and shoes come off at the door. ### What should I wear to Hazrati Imam? Long trousers or a long skirt and covered shoulders. Women need a headscarf for the mosque and mausoleum; bring your own. ### Is Hazrati Imam the same as Khast Imam? Yes. Khast Imam is the colloquial pronunciation of Hazrati Imam, and it is also the name of the surrounding neighbourhood. ### How long do you need at the Hazrati Imam Complex? 45 minutes to an hour for the square, mausoleum and madrasas. Add 1–1.5 hours if you also visit the Center for Islamic Civilization. ### Is Hazrati Imam worth visiting? Yes, especially on a short stay in Tashkent: it is free, close to Chorsu Bazaar and the best place in the city for historic Islamic architecture. If you’re going to Samarkand, keep expectations modest. ## How we checked The complex has no official website with hours or prices, so hours, the museum fee, buses and prayer-time rules are marked as checking: Tonkosti gives 9:00–21:00 and USD 2 for the museum, other guides give 9:00–18:00 and about USD 4, and Advantour says hours depend on the building. The Quran’s move is confirmed by Wikipedia, Fergana and Advantour; some older guide pages still place it in the madrasa. Dates differ between sources — Muyi Muborak is 16th century or rebuilt in 1856–1857, Tilla Sheikh 1857 or 1890–1902, the minarets 52 or 53 m — so we show both or avoid an exact date. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Hazrati Imam Complex and Center for Islamic Civilization; Russian Wikipedia: Hazrati Imam Ensemble; Wikidata Q18604486 - Fergana, 24.11.2025 — transfer of the Uthman Quran to the Center for Islamic Civilization - Yep.uz, February 2026 update — the copy now shown at the Muyi Muborak madrasa - Advantour — history of the ensemble, minarets, dress code - Orexca — buildings, library, the Quran’s leaves - Visit Tashkent — buildings, craftsmen in the Barakhan madrasa - Kun.uz, 17.04.2025 — approval of the restoration projects - Tonkosti — unofficial hours, museum fee, buses and metro - Voyage.uz — Center for Islamic Civilization hours and tickets, unofficial --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.