The oldest mosque of Kazakhstan gains unique object status

TARAZ. KAZINFORM The unique historical and archeological object was restored and presented in Taraz, the Zhambyl regional administration's tourism department press service said.

Upon completion of all conservation efforts, the oldest mosque in Taraz, dated to the early Islam, has gained the status of the unique tourist object of the region. It will be included into the tour itineraries of the region and city. The restoration works were held in order to develop the region's tourist industry and promote its places of interest.

The solemn presentation took place at the Karakhan Baba historical and archeological complex.

The ancient mosque fragments were found in 2006 during excavations near the Karakhan Mausoleum. More than ten hundreds years ago the mosque was rebuilt from the Nestorian church of the VII century into the mosque. Artifacts, dated to the early Nestorian Christianity, were discovered during archeological diggings. The finding provides a unique opportunity to determine the exact time of the rise of Islamic culture in Central Asia.

The Taraz mosque is mentioned in the medieval written sources due to the military campaign against Taraz back to 893 by Samanid ruler Ismail ibn Ahmed, who conquered Taraz and converted the people of the city to Islam. It was him who ruled over to rebuild the ancient temple into the mosque.