Hazrati Imam Complex, Tashkent (must see)

Hazrati Imam, which means ‘Great Imam’, is an entire complex of historical and architectural monuments that was established here during several centuries. The place became sacred afterwards; in 976 Kaffali al Shashi was buried here – one of the most enlightened men of his period. In 1541, a Mausoleum was erected here and it is the oldest building of the Hazrati Imam complex. Also situated here is a beautiful Djuma Mosque with two beautiful minarets at the entrance, each of which is 56 meters tall. For more than 1000 years Hazrati Imam has been the centre of Muslim culture in Uzbekistan.

Cathedral Mosque of Khazrati Imam was erected in 2007 on the initiative and project of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov . The mosque has two domes and two minarets 53 meters high. The interior of the domes is decorated with gold leaf . At the entrance to the mosque there is an aivan with twenty carved sandalwood columns . The window openings are designed in such a way that they allow the sun's rays to penetrate inside the mosque from sunrise to sunset

The Khazrati Imam Ensemble also includes the building of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of all Uzbekistan, built by folk craftsmen of Uzbekistan. The same building houses the Committee for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.