A beautiful pocket of calm at the heart of Old Delhi's mayhem, India’s largest mosque is built on a 10m elevation, towering above the surrounding hubbub. It can hold a mind-blowing 25,000 people. The marble and red-sandstone ‘Friday Mosque’ was Shah Jahan’s final architectural triumph, built between 1644 and 1658. The four watchtowers were used for security. There are two minarets standing 40m high, one of which can be climbed for amazing views. All of the three gates allow access to the mosque.
The eastern gate was originally for imperial use only. Buy a ticket at the entrance to climb 121 steps up the narrow southern minaret (notices say that unaccompanied women are not permitted). From the top of the minaret, you can see how architect Edwin Lutyens incorporated the mosque into his design of New Delhi – the Jama Masjid, Connaught Place and Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) are in a direct line.
Visitors should remove their shoes at the top of the stairs. There’s no charge to enter the mosque, but you’ll have to pay the camera charge whether you want to use your camera or not.