The mosque was built atop the ruins of an older mosque on the same location and there is considerable evidence that materials were reused from various reconstructions over a period of centuries. For instance, four of the oldest pillars were fashioned in the 10th century and were taken from the Khorezmian capital of Kath. A further 17 pillars were taken from the same location at least a century later. Of the remaining pillars, most were fashioned in the 17th and 18th centuries but a handful were made in the centuries in between. Though the pillars generally look uniform at first glance, the specific decorative treatment varies according to age.

Apart from the prayer hall, the mosque’s chief distinguishing feature is its 33 meter tall minaret that is physically connected to the north side of the prayer hall. An extra fee allows intrepid visitors the chance to climb the 81 steps to the top.