Bibi Khanym, Samarkand: Infomration about Mosque and Pictures of Bibi Khanym

Facade of Bibi-Khanym Mosque

Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand

The Bibi-Khanym Mosque is nothing short of spectacular. No matter how many photographs travelers to Samarkand take of this building, it never seems enough to convey the awe-inspiring beauty. Construction began on this building while Tamerlane was away on one of his many war campaigns. The spacious courtyard was covered with marble flagstone. The entrance to the court was decorated with two round minarets towering 50 feet high. There were at least two other minarets. The exterior and interior were covered in glazed multi-colored bricks forming intricate geometric designs. Carved marble and gilding were also used in decorating the mosque. Unfortunately, the work was still in progress when Tamerlane returned home from his war campaigns over Central Asia. Greatly dissatisfied, in a fit of anger he had the two construction managers put to death by hanging.

Dome of Bibi Khanym Mosque

Samarkand is a land of legends, and there is a charming legend about this Mosque which is still told today. It is said the building of this mosque was commissioned by Tamerlane's Chinese wife, Bibi- Hanim, while her husband was away at war. It was her intention to surprise Tamerlane when he returned, so she visited the construction site frequently, trying to urge the workers to hurry construction. But the architect fell in love with the beautiful Queen, and did not hasten the work because he wanted to be near her. When the Queen received word that her husband was on his way back from war in Central Asia, she again pressured the architect to speed up work on the building. The architect told Queen Bibi Hanim he would have the work completed on time only if she gave him a kiss. The Queen offered any of her handmaidens to him, but the architect was only interested in her. Now, the architect was young and handsome, and the Queen was anxious to have the work completed by the time her husband returned home to Samarkand. So she agreed to allow him to kiss her, but at the last moment tried to protect herself with the palm of her hand. However, the kiss was so passionate that the ardor traveled along her arm to her face, leaving a crimson mark on her cheek. When Tamerlane arrived in Uzbekistan, he was impressed by the magnificence of the mosque, but when he saw his wife's face and she told him what had happened, he became furious. As his soldiers searched for the architect, he escaped with his apprentice by climbing onto a minaret on the mosque. When the soldiers reached the minaret they found only the apprentice, who told them the architect had made himself wings and flown away from Samarkand.