"Hazrat Sultan" means "The Most Holy Sultan" — the title once given to the Sufi sheikh Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, whose mausoleum stands in Turkestan. By naming the new capital's main mosque in his honour, Kazakhstan drew a direct line between ancient spirituality and the modern city.
Construction began in June 2009, with anywhere from one thousand to fifteen hundred workers on site at different stages. The grand opening took place on 6 July 2012. Today it stands as the second-largest mosque in all of Central Asia.
The scale is striking: the entire complex covers more than 11 hectares, with the buildings themselves spanning 17,700 square metres. The mosque holds five thousand worshippers, rising to ten thousand on major holidays. Its dome is the largest in Kazakhstan — 51 metres high, with a base diameter of 28 metres. The building follows classical Islamic style enriched with Kazakh ornamentation, and it welcomes visitors of any faith.
