Beket Ata Mosque

The Beket Ata Mosque is a sacred underground mosque located in the Mangystau region of western Kazakhstan, built in the 18th century at the foot of the Ustyurt Plateau. Founded by Beket Myrzagululy, born in 1750 near Atyrau, the mosque is carved into a massive rock and consists of four small chambers. Beket Ata studied at the Shergazi Khan madrassah in Khiva, mastering religious and scientific knowledge. Of the four mosques he built, the most famous is the underground sanctuary in Oglandy. The chambers include his burial site, a room with his staff, the grave of his sister, and a prayer hall for women. Beket Ata is revered as a saint, and the mosque remains a pilgrimage site for those seeking spiritual healing.