Koben Underground Mosque
Koben Underground Mosque dates back to the end of the 19th – the beginning of the 20th century. It is carved inside a limestone rock and consists of two rectangular rooms. The corridor’s walls are tiled with worked stones. On the stones, you can see traces of the tools that were used to carve them. According to the latest reports, that corridor has collapsed.
In the central room, there are two niches where most likely candles or lamps stood. There is also a round hole in the roof through which light enters. Arabic inscriptions are on the room’s east wall. Near the mosque, lies an eponymous burial ground.
Unfortunately, no reliable information about the origin of this underground mosque has been found so far.
How to get there?
The Koben Underground Mosque is located 22 km (14 mi) northeast of the village of Kyzylsay in the Mangystau Region. The distance from Kyzylsay to the city of Aktau is 166 km (103 mi). The road takes about 2 hours.
Remoteness and vast distances make traveling around Mangystay hard. To visit the mosque, we recommend that you hire an experienced guide who knows the area well. They will also show you other attractions located nearby, because Koben Mosque may not be worth the trip alone.
Other tourist attractions near the Koben Underground Mosque:
• Ustyurt Plateau
• Shopan Ata Underground Mosque
• Masat Ata Underground Mosque
• The Town of Zhanaozen