Description of the attraction
The Id Gakh Mosque is the second largest in Kabul. In this place, millions of people offer Eid Prayer twice a year. The mosque is located near the Mahmoud Khan Bridge and the National Stadium in the eastern part of the city, in the Shar-e-Bark region, which is one of the richest.
The name of the mosque "Id Gakh" means "Great Prayer". The founder of the mosque, according to most sources, is Babur, a Muslim warrior who invaded India with his army and brought jewelry from Punjab, Sindh and surrounding areas. He ordered the construction of a temple to show the greatness of Islam, and Persian architects performed the work for the subjects of Kabul. According to other sources, the mosque was founded by Jahangir, and local materials were used for the construction.
The mosque was a place for holding religious holidays, ceremonies, coronations here. It was from this mosque that Amir Habibullah made his historic declaration of the country's independence in 1919.
The mosque is painted beige and white, has four external minarets, one more in the center of the roof, a higher light central arch and two smaller arches on either side of the central one. The building is long and narrow, with 18 external arches painted in a dark color. The courtyard area is huge and is capable of receiving a large number of Muslims during prayer.
The Id Gakh Mosque is in good condition, is an excellent example of traditional Muslim architecture and attracts pilgrims from far abroad. The open areas of Id Gah are also used as parking for trucks that transport goods from Peshawar.
