The Mukhtarov Mosque, built more than 110 years ago on the left bank of the Terek River in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, is one of the symbols of the city. It is known for its picturesque setting against the dramatic backdrop of the Caucasus Mountains. The Azerbaijani oil magnate and millionaire Murtuza Mukhtarov first met Yelizaveta Tuganova, the daughter of General Hambi Tuganov, and married this real noble woman. And it happened precisely in this city. Mukhtarov built this mosque known as the Mukhtarov Mosque in honour of his wife.

The Muslim community had been praying in the open air before the mosque was built. Constructing a mosque in the city had been on the agenda since the nineteenth century. It was only in 1900 that permission for construction was acquired. 

The mosque is supposed to have been built at the expense of the city’s local Muslim community, but the money donated by them was not enough. Therefore, they appealed to Mukhtarov for assistance. The oil magnate covered the bulk of the costs (50,000 roubles out of 80,000).

The architect of the mosque Józef Plośko, a Russian architect and Polish by heritage, closely cooperated with Mukhtarov. In fact, he did not have enough experience to construct religious monuments. Therefore, he had to make deep research into Eastern architecture for a long time, and was eventually inspired by Al-Azhar and other mosques of Cairo.

The Mukhtarov Mosque is not only a place of prayer for the Muslim community but a rare pearl of Islamic architecture as well.