Impeccable Architecture:
Jama Masjid is India's largest
mosque and can hold 25,000 worshipers at one time. Wide red sandstone
steps lead to entrances on the North, South and East sides of the mosque.
The tower is made up of five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting
balcony. Beautiful calligraphy adorns its adjacent edifices. The first
three storeys of the tower are made of red sandstone, the fourth is made
of marble, while the fifth is made of sandstone again.
The main
entrance is through the 54-meter-high Buland Darwaza, the Gate of Victory,
constructed to commemorate Akbar's victory in Gujarat. This impressive
gateway is reached by an equally impressive flight of steps. Inside is the
massive courtyard dominated by two red and white striped sandstone
minarets which cap the main prayer hall on the west side (facing Mecca).
On Fridays and other holy days the courtyard is filled with
devotees who come in for 'Namaaz'. The majestic architecture of Delhi's
Jama Masjid suggests an awesome monument to history and religion.