Mosque of Mohammed Yusuf Bai Haji Ogli

Mohammed Yusuf Bai Haji Ogli Mosque, an architectural monument of the 20^th century, located on Navoi Street, is an example of a “guzar” (quarterly) religious building typical of southern Kyrgyzstan.

Mohammed Yusuf Bai Haji Ogli Mosque is the only example of original Fergana architecture in Osh, which was once very common throughout southern Kyrgyzstan, but today is almost lost.

In the past, neighbourhood mosques had the same layout and were built of fired or adobe bricks, “guvalak” and “pakhsa.” The roofs and coverings were made of clay, reeds and “berdana” woven mats on a wooden base. Walls and ceilings were decorated with bright ornaments and carvings on plaster and wood. Wooden columns were embellished with carved capitals and bases, and wooden ceiling beams bore simple or complex patterns.

One of the essential differences between the Mosque of Mohammed Yusuf Bai Haji Ogli and other places of worship is the absence of a dome. The layout resembles the letter “G”, and consists of a summer iwan, or vaulted portal, and winter prayer halls with mihrabs indicating the direction of Mecca. Initially, it was made of raw bricks, with fired bricks used for cladding. The main entrance to the winter prayer halls was in the eastern façade.

Another of the mosque’s notable features is its ornately decorated ceiling, supported with carved columns. Complex wooden beams are painted with bright floral patterns and ornaments. Floral elements combined with classical calligraphy were created by craftsmen from Khujan, as evidenced by the inscriptions. One of the beams also bears the names of Osh carpenters, and lists the date of construction as 1909-1910. The mosque is named in honor of the philanthropist Mohammed Yusuf Bai Haji Ogli, who, according to historical accounts, held a prominent position during the reign of the Kokand Khanate (1709-1876) and lived in that quarter.

In the 1960s, the first detailed examination of the mosque was carried out by the Soviet architect Leonid Kutsemelov, according to whose designs the Alai Hotel, the main building of Osh State University, and the former House of Pioneers were built in Osh.