Form of monument: Sacral object
Date of monument: ХІХ century
Location: Aktobe oblast, Uil region, Uil village
Researches: the first studies were carried out in 1973. Studies of Kokzhar mosque were reflected in scientific works of famous writers of Uil region of Kural Tokmyrzin and Syrym Baktygereiuly during the years of independence (2001, 2009 y.).
Brief description: the construction of the mosque started in 1893. The foundation was made of crude stone, and the building itself was built of red bricks transported on camel carts from Orenburg. The mosque’s activity was aimed at religious education.
The first imam, Sagidolla Izteleuov, was a literate man who was fluent in Arabic, Persian and Russian. In 1926, he became Hazret of Uil Mosque. Thus, a centre of religious education was established in the region. In 1926-1930, 15 religious schools were opened and 20 mosques were re-established in the Uil region. The next hazret was Hasan Hazret, a graduate of the Mir-Arab medrese in Bukhara. In the 1930s, the religious elements of the building were removed and it was given to a drama theatre; later it was used as a warehouse. In 1999, with the independence, the building was repaired and provided for church. The first imam was Altynbek Kakiev.
In 2014, the mosque was completely reconstructed and the yard was landscaped. Currently, the mosque is the spiritual centre of the village. Kokzhar Mosque, the former religious centre and has continued its work, is a building of original architecture of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Now it is of great importance for the development of tourism, expansion of spiritual culture of the local population.
Legend: The Kokzhar mosque is one of the oldest in the Aktobe region. They say the mosque was built by Tatar merchants.
One of the stories about this mosque is that there were underground passages that connected the markets, the mosque and the houses of rich merchants. The underground passages were built over several kilometres, presently the matter has to be investigated. The first design of the dome was similar to a Muslim dome, it was made of silver and had a crescent moon. During the repressions, the dome was destroyed and then hidden in a local canyon, according to the People stories.