Kazakhstan Hoca Ahmet Yesevi Camii

Kazakhstan Khoja Ahmed Yesevi Mosque (Kazakh: Қазақстан Қожа Ахмет Ясауи мешіті) is a significant mosque built by Türkiye in the city of Turkistan, Kazakhstan. Construction began on 16 October 2009 and was completed on 17 April 2015. The mosque was constructed adjacent to the Khoja Ahmed Yesevi Mausoleum, a site inscribed on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List, to preserve the spiritual legacy of the great Turkic scholar Khoja Ahmed Yesevi and to symbolize the brotherhood between Türkiye and Kazakhstan.

History

The decision to build the mosque was taken in 2009 as a symbol of Kazakhstan’s struggle for independence and its strengthened ties with the Turkic world. The project was initiated by the Directorate of Religious Affairs Foundation of Türkiye under the patronage of Türkiye Republic President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The mosque was completed and opened for worship on 17 April 2015. The entire cost of the Khoja Ahmed Yesevi Mosque, amounting to 10 million 461 thousand US dollars, was covered by the Directorate of Religious Affairs Foundation of Türkiye.

Kazakhstan Khoja Ahmed Yesevi Mosque, Interior View (Anadolu Agency)

Architectural Features

The mosque, reflecting Turkish-Kazakh friendship, combines the visual style of traditional Kazakh architecture with modern construction materials. The mosque and its complex were designed with a decorative concept that embodies Turkish-Kazakh brotherhood. Traditional Turkistan-Seljuk architecture has been blended with modern elements. The turquoise color of its large dome is drawn from Turkish cultural heritage. The mosque covers an area of 2200 square meters and, including its surrounding grounds, spans 20,000 square meters. Its architecture reflects the cultural heritage of the Turkish-Islamic world. The interior is adorned with rich calligraphy, Quranic inscriptions, and traditional Anatolian ornaments and motifs. The mosque is also one of the largest in Kazakhstan and has a capacity to accommodate 3000 worshippers simultaneously. The mosque complex includes a library, soup kitchen, multi-purpose halls, dining hall, cafeteria, imam and muezzin rooms, classrooms, mortuary, and ablution facilities.

Inauguration

The mosque was inaugurated on 17 April 2015 in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and other state officials also attended the ceremony. Accompanying President Erdoğan on his visit to Kazakhstan were Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız, Minister of Food Agriculture and Livestock Mehdi Eker, Minister of National Defense İsmet Yılmaz, Minister of Culture and Tourism Ömer Çelik, Chairman of the Kazakh Religious Affairs Board Yercan Hacı Mayamirov, Second Vice President of the Directorate of Religious Affairs Foundation of Türkiye Mazhar Bilgin, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Astana Öner Burhan Tüzel, Deputy General Director of TDV Yasin Uğraş, Turkish businesspeople, officials from both countries, and religious leaders.