Jama Masjid

1424 Friday mosque, masterpiece of Indo-Islamic architecture

The Jama Masjid, completed in 1424 by city founder Sultan Ahmad Shah, is one of the finest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture in western India. The plan is a rectangle around a vast paved courtyard with a central tank; the prayer hall has 260 pillars supporting fifteen domes, all elaborately carved. Many of the columns reuse stone from Hindu and Jain temples — the lotus and bell motifs are visible if you look up.

The mosque is still in active use. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times, when shoes must be left at the entrance and modest dress is expected. Behind the qibla wall lies the Tomb of Ahmad Shah (Badshah no Hajiro), where the city's founder is buried beside his son and grandson.

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A story
Two minarets used to flank the central facade until an 1819 earthquake brought them down to half their height. The stumps you see today are what remained — too short to call, but too historic to demolish.