Ahmed Shah's Mosque

The Ahmad Shah's Mosque, also known as Shahi Jam-e-Masjid or Juni Juma Masjid, completed in 1414, is the oldest mosque of Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujarat, India. The structure is a Monument of National Importance.

History and architecture

The mosque was erected by the founder of Ahmedabad, Ahmad Shah I, in 1414. It said to have been used as the royal household's private mosque. According to the inscription at the upper part of the central mihrab, the foundation date seems to be the 4th day of Shawwal month in, which is 17 December. The pavement is of white marble, the canopy covered pulpit has a yellow marble balustrade carved in a leafy pattern, and white marble steps. In the courtyard is a mound called Ganj Shahid or the martyrs' mound, the tomb of warriors who perished in Sultan Ahmed's early fights.
The mosque covers area of and have two rows of ten large domes surrounded by several smaller domes. The mosque is supported by 152 pillars and have four arched gateways. There are eight perforated stone windows and 25 fine carved pillars. The pillars inside the mosque were taken from Hindu/Jain temples, and some still possess Hindu figures. One pillar retains an inscription in Old Gujarati dated from 1252 from the reign of Vīsaladeva Vāghelā, identifying its origin from a temple to Uttareśvara in Mahiṁsaka.
The mosque was restored in 2011 by the Archaeological Survey of India at cost of.