The Chaqchan Mosque (Urdu: مسجد چقچن; meaning “The Miraculous Mosque” is a mosque located 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 Buddhism to Islam.The mosque’s design is heavily influenced by architecture from the Kashmir Valley, and was likely also built by Kashmiri craftsmen.
According to some sources the mosque was built by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani[6] while other say on arrival of Sufi saint Syed Nurbakhsh from Kashmir to Baltistan, the local ruling Raja accepted Islam and commissioned the building of the mosque[7] in 1370 CE. However, the dating of the latter theory contradicts historical source which suggests that the mosque was actually constructed more than two decade before the birth of
The Kashmiri-style Chaqchan Mosque was built in 1370, shortly after the area’s conversion to Islam
Chaqchan Mosque is located in Pakistan
Location
Khaplu, Pakistan
Affiliation
Islam
Country
Pakistan
Architectural description
Architectural type
Mosque
Architectural style
Kashmiri
Date established
1370
Capacity
500 (including adjoining verandah)