THE MAGOK-I-ATTARI MOSQUE

Before the Arab conquest were at this location a market and a Buddhist temple, then a fire temple dedicated to the moon. The first mosque was built in the th century - which is the oldest in Central Asia - on the ruins of the temple, as it was used at that time. It was completely rebuilt in the th century and refurbished in the th century. In 1839, it was discovered by Shishkin, the same archaeologist who had uncovered the Samani mausoleum in the cemetery. Excavations also made it possible to revive the southern portal that dates back to the th century mosque. Shishkin also discovered traces of the th century Fire temple and the oldest Buddhist temple. Over the centuries, the ground level had risen by several metres and Magok mosque had found half buried underground. Already, for the construction of the portal, which dates back to the th century, the entrance had to be adapted to the change of the street level, and a staircase at large steps descends down to the entrance of the mosque. The mosque bears a very vivid name reflecting its history: agok means underground and attor, merchant. The mosque now serves as an exhibition hall for carpets. To the east, the wells fall into the land to the place where the Buddhist temple was.