Id Kah Mosque Travel Guide

Brief Introduction
The mosque, built in 1442, lies in the heart of Kashgar and dominates Id Kah Square, a large square surrounded by bazaars in the old city of Kashgar.

It is the largest mosque in Xinjiang. When the adjoining courtyards are taken into account, the mosque is the largest in China. It can accommodate up to 20,000 people. The Id Kah mosque contains many of the essential characteristics of Islamic architecture.

In addition to majestic courtyards, the mosque has a domed roof and matching minarets adjoined to its front. The Id Kah Mosque like many larger mosques today has replaced the traditional prayer caller (muezzin) with an electronic sound system that projects the prayers of the imam through loudspeakers.

On entering the gate of the mosque, visitors will find a big courtyard, in which poplar trees reach the sky and the pines grow vigorously like boys and girls in their adolescence. The whole yard is heavily shaded, making you as cool and comfortable as if you were in an air-conditioned environment. A pond with limpid water is a bright mirror enclosed by the green trees. It endows the mosque with a quiet elegance.

The Hall of Prayer is on a high dais in the west end of the mosque. The roof is held by light blue pillars and all the pillars form a rectangular shape. Around the roof and the pillars are exquisite carvings and beautiful pictures. The brick gate tower faces the Id Kah Square. This tower is full of elaborate flower-pattern carvings, mainly in green.

Features
What really makes the mosque special is the quiet and solitude one can feel as they pass through the main gate in contrast to the bustling streets outside. Over 500 years it was rebuilt ten times by the people of Kashgar.