The great Friday mosque of Srinagar stands in the heart of the old city and is one of the finest examples of Indo-Saracenic wooden architecture in India. The mosque was founded in 1394 by Sultan Sikandar but has burned down and been rebuilt four times; the current structure dates largely from 1674 under Aurangzeb. The distinctive feature is the 378 columns of deodar wood — each a single tree trunk — holding up the roof. The central courtyard, lined with 48 identical entrance arches, can hold 33,000 worshippers.
Friday prayers draw the largest congregations and are an impressive sight, though the security presence around the mosque increases significantly at these times. Non-Muslims are generally permitted to enter the courtyard outside prayer times; remove shoes and dress conservatively. The mosque is in the Nowhatta area of the old city, easily reached on foot from Lal Chowk. The surrounding lanes of the old bazaar are worth exploring — carpet sellers, copper craftsmen, and bakeries all trade within a few minutes' walk.