A beautiful pocket of calm at the heart of Old Delhi, the capital's largest mosque (adult/child ₹400/free) is built on a 10m elevation and can hold a mind-blowing 25,000 people. The marble and red-sandstone structure, known also as the "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.
There are numerous entrance gates; the eastern gate is closest to the metro and was originally for imperial use only, while the northern gate has a car park. Expect to pay for an additional ₹200 ticket if you want to climb the 121 steps up the steep and narrow southern minaret (access from the northern gate). From the top of the minaret, you can see how architect Edwin Lutyens incorporated the mosque into his architectural planning: the Jama Masjid, Connaught Place and Samvidhan Sadan (former parliament house) are in a direct line.
Visitors should dress conservatively and remove their shoes before entering the mosque, though you can carry your shoes with you inside if you wish to leave from a different gate, or are worried about losing them (many locals do this). The mosque is closed noon to 1.30pm; tourists can't enter during prayers.
