Jama Masjid

In front of you stands the largest mosque of Mughal India. Shah Jahan had it built between 1650 and 1656 on a low hill, the Bhojla Pahari, the highest point of his new capital. That was no accident: from here the mosque dominated the city, and from the Red Fort the emperor could see it face on.

1Five thousand workers and an imam from Bukhara

According to the chronicles, some 5,000 workers built it under the supervision of the vizier Sadullah Khan, at a cost of a million rupees of the day. Its official name is Masjid-i Jahan-Numa, "the mosque that reflects the world". It was inaugurated in July 1656 with an imam brought from Bukhara, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari. His descendants, known as the Shahi Imams, still lead the prayers.

God was not the only one honoured here. The Friday sermon, the khutba, named the ruler of the day. Hearing an emperor's name from this pulpit was proof that he truly reigned.

2The punishment of 1857

After crushing the uprising of 1857, the British confiscated the mosque and banned worship. They even considered demolishing it and used it as a barracks. It was only handed back to the Muslim community in 1862, and on strict conditions.

An imperial mosque turned into a barracks: few images sum up the end of Mughal power better.

3What to look for

• The three staircases: the eastern one, the grandest, was used by the emperor when he arrived from the fort.
• The marble domes with black stripes, a hallmark of Shah Jahan's style.
• The two minarets, about 40 metres tall, in alternating bands of red sandstone and white marble.