The Spanish Mosque, also known as the Masjid Iqbal Ud Daula and the Jam e Masjid "Aiwan-E-Begumpet", is a mosque within Paigah Palace, in the Begumpet neighbourhood of Hyderabad, in the Hyderabad district of the state of Telangana, India.
It is also known as the Mosque of the Moors, due to its unique Moorish Revival architectural style and is said to be one-of-its-kind in India.
Architecture
The construction of the mosque was started by the fifth Paigah Amir, H.E. Nawab Mohammed Fazaluddin Khan, Iqbal Ud Daula, Sir
Viqar-ul-Umra in 1900 (due to his sudden demise in 1902) and completed by his heir and elder son H.E Nawab Sultan Ul Mulk Bahadur, VI Amir of
Paigah family through Princess Jahandarunissa Begum, Lady Vicar Ul Umra. After his return from
Spain, Viqar-ul-Umra was very much inspired by the Cathedral–Mosque of Córdoba. The exterior and interior of the Spanish Mosque are mostly similar to the Cathedral–Mosque and Jama Masjid Gulbarga, in
Karnataka, India. The mosque shows state-of-the-art interiors and architecture. The stand-out feature is the spires instead of the usual minarets or domes; they give this mosque a church-like appearance.
The mosque is maintained and managed by the heirs of Paigah Amir Sir Viqar-ul-Umra.
The mosque can accommodate 3,000 worshipers at once.
The Spanish Mosque is a declared heritage site by ASI and is under discussion for the consideration of UNESCO Asia Pacific Merit.
See also
-
Islam in India
-
List of mosques in Telangana
-
List of former mosques in Spain
-
Heritage structures in Hyderabad
External links
