Jami Masjid

The Jami Masjid of Ahmedabad is one of the biggest and oldest mosques of India, built by a Bahmani ruler Ahmed Shah I (1411-1442), the founder of Ahmedabad, in 1423. One of the major tourist attractions of Gujarat, Jami Masjid is known for its fine and amazing architecture. The Mosque has a total of 260 pillars supporting 15 domes at different elevations. The Jami Masjid also had tall minarets, which were destroyed in an earthquake. Centered on a spacious 75 x 66 meters marble courtyard with entrances on three sides - west, south and north, the Jami Mosque is regarded as one of the most superb and imposing structures of its class in the world. The architecture of the Jami Mosque shows distinctive Hindu and Jain influence, clearly visible on the decorations of walls and the niches of the mosque. One of the distinct features of this Mosque is its royal gallery with beautiful and intricate stonework. There is also a long rectangular ablution tank in the center. The prayer hall of the mosque is a rectangular area with five symmetrical domes. The central Mihrab (position indicating the direction of the Holy Mecca) of the mosque has inscriptions commemorating its completion on January 4, 1424, by Sultan Ahmad Shah I.