Kok Gumbaz Mosque (Shahrisabz)

History

According to the inscription on its portal, Ulugh Beg built the mosque in the name of his father, Shah Rukh, ruler of Khorasan. The date is usually given as 1435–1436, though some sources say 1434–1437. It faces the tomb of Shamsuddin Kulol in a paired, or qosh, arrangement and served as the main Friday mosque of Shahrisabz.

The building was restored several times in the 20th century, including in the 1970s and in 1995–1996 for the 660th anniversary of Timur’s birth. Researchers note that some original inscriptions were damaged by poor-quality repairs.

Architecture

The mosque is square in plan, with an interior hall of about 12.7 × 12.7 m under a large dome clad in blue tiles. Kufic inscriptions with Quranic verses run around the drum. The east-facing portal is decorated with geometric ornament and repeated banna’i inscriptions reading “God is great”. Inside, the dome rests on eight arches and pendentives, and spiral staircases are built into the corner masonry.

Unlike Ulugh Beg’s other buildings, the decoration is fairly restrained. Even so, its blue dome remains one of the most familiar sights on the Shahrisabz skyline.