JUMA MASJID - FRIDAY MOSQUE

From the outside, nothing, or almost nothing, allows us to guess the grandiose character of the Friday mosque. The monotony of a long blind wall is interrupted by an imposing double door made of finely crafted wood. A slender minaret, 33 m high, dominates the ensemble. The interior is more than surprising: a forest of carved wooden columns supports the ceiling of the mosque. Each pillar seems to have its own story, one of the most famous being the one from India. Its decoration is abstract, as is Islam, but one can nevertheless guess a human representation. By taking the time to study the various ornamentations, one can discover Zoroastrian symbols, representations of the Buddha, etc. Wealthy pilgrims or merchants who came to Khiva to do business sometimes offered the mosque a column carved in the style of their city, which would replace another column that was too old. The oldest, about fifteen in all, date from the 10th and 11th centuries. In total, the mosque has 213 columns, all of different ages and designs. The architecture of the Juma Mosque corresponds to the style of the first mosques that were gathering places. It commented on the Koran, but also discussed other issues relating to the organization of the social life of believers. The mihrab is placed in the centre of the huge hall 55 m long and 45 m wide. The light enters through two octagonal openings in the ceiling.