Jamia Masjid is a mosque

Mosque

A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...

 in Srinagar

Srinagar

Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...

, Jammu & Kashmir, Indian Administered Kashmir. The Jamia Masjid of Srinagar is situated at Nowhatta, in the middle of the old city. An important mosque in Srinagar, it was built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD. Later, the son of Sultan Sikandar, Zain-ul-Abidin got the mosque extended. The attractions of the Jamia Masjid of Srinagar, Kashmir include beautiful Indo-Saracenic architecture

Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture

The Indo-Saracenic Revival was an architectural style movement by British architects in the late 19th century in British India...

, a magnificent courtyard and 370 wooden pillars. Another feature of the mosque is the peace and tranquility inside it, standing out against the hustle of the old bazaars around it. Thousands of Muslims assemble at the mosque every Friday to offer their prayers.

Damage caused by fire

Jamia Masjid of Srinagar has been subject to much destruction till date. Thrice this magnanimous mosque was ruined by fire but was restored after every disaster. The last restoration work was carried out under the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh. Still today this mosque stands tall like the pride of Srinagar, holding within itself rich stories from the past and calling all Muslims to pray five times a day.

Legacy

Jamia Masjid is known as one of the sacred mosques in India. Be it the holiness or the constructional elegance, the mosque is unparalleled in every aspect. Composed of 370 pillars of wood, Jamia Masjid symbolizes one of the best architectural specimen which survived the ravages of time ever since it was constructed in the valley of Jammu and Kashmir. The area of Jamia Masjid extends up to an area of 384 feet by 381 feet. This spacious mosque holds a capacity to accommodate more than 30,000 people offering prayer at a time.