Governor of Mangistau region Nurdaulet Kilybay participated today in a ceremony of inauguration of a new Aktau - Beket Ata - Aktau tourist route, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Comfortable tourist buses seating up to 51 passengers will operate seven days per week. The buses will depart from Beket Ata mosque in Aktau’s 26th micro-district at 07:00 am and will return at around 05:00 pm on the same day.
The Underground Mosque of Beket Ata is one of the most unique and interesting architectural attractions of Kazakhstan. It was built by renowned religious figure and Sufi Beket Myrzagululy. Located 230 kilometers east of Aktau, in the Oglandy gorge of Mangyshlak peninsula, this architectural monument is believed to be a sacred place attracting thousands of pilgrims.
The mosque is carved into a large rock and has four small halls. One room contains Beket Ata’s remains and his staff is kept in another room. His sister was buried in the third room, and the fourth room is used for praying only by women. Some rooms have light windows on the ceilings, whose height varies from 2.7 to 3.5 meters.
According to the governor, Beket Ata Underground Mosque is a golden pillar of the nation’s spiritual values. He said the project aims at the development of historical and cultural tourism in Mangistau region and expansion of access to the region’s sacred sites.
In November 2022, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Beket Ata Mosque as part of his working trip to Mangistau region.
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