- Jama Masjid also spelled:
- Jāmiʿ Masjid
- Jama Masjid of Delhi also called:
- Masjid-i Jahan Numa
Jama Masjid of Delhi
Who constructed the Jama Masjid of Delhi?
Why is Jama Masjid famous?
What are the major architectural features of Jama Masjid?
Jama Masjid of Delhi, mosque in Old Delhi, India, constructed in 1650–56 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, a noted patron of Islamic architecture whose most famous work is the Taj Mahal, in Agra. Jama Masjid, now the second largest mosque on the Indian subcontinent, is also an impressive example of Mughal architecture.
Jama Masjid is Delhi’s principal mosque, the place where the city’s Muslims traditionally gather for Friday communal prayer; Jama Masjid in Arabic means “congregational mosque.” The mosque is near the Red Fort, yet another of Shah Jahan’s buildings. The mosque served the imperial mosque of Shahjahanabad, Shah Jahan’s capital in Delhi. Jama Masjid and its courtyard stand on an outcropping more than 30 steps higher than the street, giving the mosque a commanding view of the surrounding area. The mosque’s longer name, Masjid-i Jahan Numa, translates to “world-reflecting mosque” or “world-displaying mosque.” The mosque was built by a crew of some 5,000 workers. The principal construction material was red sandstone, but some white marble was also used.
Jama Masjid is oriented toward the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which lies to the west. An open courtyard facing the eastern gateway of the mosque building is at least 325 feet (99 meters) square and can accommodate 25,000 people. The eastern gateway itself was originally reserved for royal use exclusively. Others used smaller gates on the north and south sides of the building. Two 130-foot (40-meter) minarets mark the northeast and southeast corners of the building. The largest interior space is the prayer hall, 90 × 200 feet (27.4 × 60.96 meters). Above the prayer hall’s entrances are calligraphic inscriptions in Persian. Three large marble domes rise from the prayer hall’s roof.
In the 21st century Jama Masjid was the scene of two violent incidents with possible connections to terrorist activities. In 2006 two bombs went off in shopping bags left in the courtyard, injuring 13 people. In 2010 two people were wounded in an attack by gunmen on a tourist bus parked outside the mosque.