Jama Masjid, Delhi

Location
Located in the centre of Old Delhi, just 1 km from Old Delhi railway station, 204 kms from Agra and 300 kms from Jaipur.

About Jama Masjid
Built in 1656 by Shah Jahan, Jama Masjid is the largest mosque of India, where thousands of Muslim offer prayers. Jama Masjid was the last architectural splendour of the Mughals, constructed with the help of 5,000 craftsmen. Situated opposite the Red Fort, the mosque is surrounded by many shops selling various items of daily use.

Jama Masjid is also known as 'Masjid-i-Jahanuma', that means 'Mosque with a commanding view of the world.' Situated on a high platform, this magnificent mosque is visible from all the neighboring areas. Designed as the principal mosque (Moti Masjid at Red Fort in Agra) of Shahjahan, the mosque has three gateways, four towers and two minarets. The architecture of Jama Masjid is a fine blend of the Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. The red sandstone and white marble has been used alternatively in the construction of the mosque. White marble is used extensively in the three domes and has been inlaid with black stripes. The mosque has a big courtyard measuring 100 sq. m, which can accommodate 25,000 devotees at a time. To the west of the mosque is situated the main prayer hall, which is decorated by high cupsed arches. These arches stand on 260 pillars, which support 15 marble domes at varied heights. The major attractions of this mosque are the wide staircases and arched gateways. One can reach the imposing gateways through a flight of steps in the north and the south.

The minaret (tower) of the mosque consists of five distinguished storeys, each flanked by a protruding balcony. The first three storeys and the fifth minaret is made of red sandstone, while the fourth one is made of white marble. The closet located at the north gate of the mosque has a sacred collection of Prophet Mohammad's relics, the holy Qur'an written on deerskin, red beard-hair of the prophet, his sandals and his footprint embedded in a marble slab.

How to Reach Jama Masjid
As Jama Masjid is located in the national capital Delhi, it is easily accessible from any part of India. Delhi is linked to major cities and towns of India by air, rail and road. The Indra Gandhi International Airport in Delhi is connected to major cities of world. While Palam Airport is the domestic airport which operates flights to the major cities of India. New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin are the three main railheads in Delhi.