Herat Friday Mosque

Herat Friday Mosque

Herat Friday Mosque, commonly known locally as Jumah Mosque, is located in Herat, the capital of Herat Province in northwestern Afghanistan. Built in the 14th century, the Friday Mosque is the largest mosque in Afghanistan and one of the largest in the world, covering an area of 46,000 square meters and capable of accommodating 80,000 worshippers for prayer at the same time.

The Herat Friday Mosque was commissioned by Timur and construction began around 1404, finishing in 1446. During Timur’s establishment of the Timurid Empire centered in Central Asia, the city of Herat was one of the centers of Islamic culture and scholarship. The mosque has endured through centuries and various dynasties, including the Timurid, Safavid, Mughal, and Uzbek periods. Although many of the glazed tiles have been replaced to varying degrees by later dynasties, the Friday Mosque eventually took on its current overall appearance by the end of the 15th century — magnificent and intricate, decorated predominantly in blue tones, and featuring eight tall minarets.

More than eight hundred years later, the Herat Friday Mosque remains the most beautiful Islamic building in Afghanistan and also one of the greatest Islamic structures in Central Asia. The exterior of the mosque is adorned with artistic mosaics, whose bright colors and intricate designs express praise to Allah. Many visitors prefer to enter from the park on the eastern side of the mosque, where they are greeted by the grand and colorful gateway of the Herat Friday Mosque.

Friday Mosque of Herat

Must-visit reason: The largest mosque in Afghanistan

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia【Asia】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Afghanistan[Afghanistan]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Herat Province [Herat Province]

City where the attraction is located: Herat [Herat]