Chaqchan Mosque

Chaqchan Mosque
Chaqchan Mosque
مسجد چقچن
Religion
Affiliation	Noorbakshia Islam
Location
Location	Khaplu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan
	Shown within Gilgit Baltistan
Geographic coordinates	35°09′22″N 76°19′50″E / 35.156062°N 76.330582°E
Architecture
Type	mosque
Style	Tibetan, Kashmiri and Persian
Date established	1370
Capacity	500 (including adjoining verandah)

The Chaqchan Mosque (Urdu: مسجد چقچن; meaning “The Miraculous Mosque”^[1]) is a mosque in the city of Khaplu, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan. Dating from 1370, the mosque is one of the oldest in the region, and dates from the time when the area's populace converted en masse from Tibetan Buddhism to Islam.^[2]^[3] The mosque shares similar architecture as those built in the Kashmir Valley.^[4] It features a blend of Tibetan, Mughal and Persian styles of architecture.^[5]

History

According to some sources the mosque was built by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani^[6] while other say on the arrival of Sufi saint Syed Nurbakhsh from Kashmir to Baltistan, the local ruling Raja converted to Islam and commissioned the building of the mosque^[7] in 1370 CE. However, the dating of the latter theory contradicts historical sources which suggests that the mosque was probably constructed more than two decades before the birth of Syed Nurbakhsh.

Conservation

The Government of Pakistan has listed the Chaqchan Mosque as a Pakistan Heritage Site. The mosque is now currently in use after extensive conservation works.

Architecture

Architecturally, the mosque displays a blend of Tibetan, Mughal and Persian styles,^[8]^[9] and consists of a two-story cubic complex: Semi-basement, ground floor with a turret atop. The perimetral walls of the cubic structure are composed of wooden slabs stacked to form a frame with its void spaces daubed with clay or mud that is in fact this technology is similar to the Roman opus craticum technique. This method of construction is one of the oldest known for making a weatherproof structures and it is also suitable for harsh winter conditions.^[10]^[11]

Gallery

The mosque's interior with extensive woodwork
View over the valley from the mosque
Chaqchan Mosque's Arches
The mosque's exterior
Chaqchan Mosque around 1st decade of 19 century
The mosque's decorated mihrab
Portion of the decorated ceiling
Almost all surfaces of the mosque's interior, including its ceiling, are decorated
Interior decorations make use of vibrant colours