Juma Mosque (Khiva)About Juma Mosque (Khiva)
The Juma (Friday) Mosque in Khiva sits within Itchan Kala, the walled old town of Khiva in Uzbekistan, and functions as the city’s principal congregational mosque. It is notable for an interior prayer hall supported by a dense forest of wooden columns, several carved and reused from older structures.
Inside the mosque the closely spaced timber columns support a wooden roof and form a distinctive hypostyle space used for communal prayer. An open courtyard adjoins the prayer hall and provides access and circulation for worshipers.
The mosque’s fabric reflects phases of construction and repair over centuries, with timber elements that preserve older woodworking traditions and decorative carving. It remains an active religious site while also drawing architectural interest for its unusual interior structure.
The mosque is located in the historic Itchan Kala quarter of Khiva, in the Khorazm Region of western Uzbekistan, within the city’s preserved inner citadel.
- Timber-column interior: Famous for its timber interior - a dense array of wooden columns supporting the roof that creates a distinctive visual effect uncommon in the region.
What to See#
- Hypostyle prayer hall: The mosque’s main hypostyle prayer hall is supported by numerous wooden columns, many of which are carved and historic, forming an interior known for its timber forest effect.
- Courtyard: An open courtyard area that serves as the mosque’s exterior gathering and ablution space before entering the prayer hall.
Nearby Attractions to Juma Mosque (Khiva)
Best Time to Visit Juma Mosque (Khiva)
Spring and autumn are preferred to avoid summer heat and winter chills.
Weather & Climate near Juma Mosque (Khiva)
Juma Mosque (Khiva)'s climate is classified as Cold Desert - Cold Desert climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -7°C to 36°C. Very dry conditions with minimal rainfall with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -7° - 2° | -7° | 11 mm | partly cloudy | 73% | 3.2 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.4h |
| February | Good | -5° - 4° | -5° | 11 mm | partly cloudy | 67% | 3.6 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.5h |
| March | Very Good | 0° - 11° | 3° | 20 mm | some cloud | 54% | 3.8 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 11.8h |
| April | Excellent | 9° - 22° | 16° | 16 mm | some cloud | 43% | 3.7 m/s | 1.2 high | 13.2h |
| May | Ideal | 15° - 28° | 22° | 11 mm | some cloud | 31% | 3.6 m/s | 1.7 very high | 14.4h |
| June | Ideal | 20° - 34° | 27° | 4 mm | clear | 23% | 3.6 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 15.0h |
| July | Ideal | 22° - 36° | 29° | 2 mm | clear | 23% | 3.4 m/s | 2.1 extreme | 14.7h |
| August | Ideal | 19° - 33° | 26° | 2 mm | clear | 23% | 3.3 m/s | 1.8 very high | 13.7h |
| September | Ideal | 12° - 28° | 20° | 1 mm | clear | 27% | 3.0 m/s | 1.3 high | 12.3h |
| October | Excellent | 5° - 19° | 12° | 7 mm | mostly sunny | 40% | 2.8 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 11.0h |
| November | Very Good | -1° - 10° | 2° | 11 mm | some cloud | 59% | 3.0 m/s | 0.3 low | 9.7h |
| December | Good | -4° - 4° | -4° | 13 mm | partly cloudy | 72% | 3.0 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.1h |
How to Get to Juma Mosque (Khiva)
Juma Mosque is inside Itchan-Kala, the walled old city of Khiva. Khiva is reached by regional flights to Urgench followed by a 30-40 minute drive, or by overland routes from Nukus and other cities in Khorezm.
Tips for Visiting Juma Mosque (Khiva)
- Enter Itchan-Kala early to avoid the heat and get the Juma Mosque's interior largely to yourself.
- Look for the wooden columns-many are older than the present mosque and display intricate carving and reused timbers.