Lesson 2/45 min
Mosques of the Sultanate era
Pre-Mughal mosques at a glance
| Mosque | Location | Builder / era |
|---|---|---|
| Sixty Dome (Shait Gumbad) | Bagerhat | Khan Jahan Ali (Ulugh Khan); 15th century |
| Chhota Sona | Shibganj, Chapainawabganj (Gaur) | Wali Muhammad; era of Alauddin Husain Shah |
| Binat Bibi | Narinda, Dhaka | Bakht Binat Bibi; era of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah |
| Bagha | Bagha, Rajshahi | Sultan Nusrat Shah; 1523 |
| Kusumba | Manda, Naogaon (Atrai river bank) | Sulaiman; era of Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah; 1558–59 |
Sixty Dome Mosque
- The largest medieval mosque of Bangladesh; Sultanate style
- Builder: Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (Ulugh Khan), in the 15th century
- One of Bangladesh's three World Heritage sites; UNESCO recognition in 1985
- Total 81 domes: 77 in seven rows of 11, plus 4 at the corners
Watch out: The Sixty Dome Mosque has 81 domes (77 + 4); some exams have also used 77. One book prints 1435–59 for its construction, other sources start the period differently; remember only “15th century”.
Chhota Sona Mosque
- In the ancient city of Gaur, at Shibganj, Chapainawabganj
- Built by Wali Muhammad in the time of Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah
- It is called the “Jewel of Gaur”
- Two graves lie to its south-east: those of Bir Sreshtho Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir and Major Nazmul Haque
- The Bara Sona (Golden) Mosque is also at Gaur; the book says Nusrat Shah, 1526
Watch out: For the question “Gaur's Sona Mosque” the book's printed answer is Husain Shah (29th BCS). Chhota Sona and Bara Sona are different mosques; check which one is meant.
Binat Bibi Mosque
- Narinda, Dhaka; the oldest mosque of Dhaka, the “city of mosques”
- Built by Musammat Bakht Binat Bibi, daughter of Marhamat, in the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah
- Style: Sultanate
Watch out: One book prints 1457 as the year; other sources, based on the inscription, give 1454 to 1456. Remember only “mid-15th century”.
Bagha and Kusumba mosques
- Bagha Mosque: at Bagha, Rajshahi; built by Sultan Nusrat Shah in 1523
- Bagha Mosque is famous for its terracotta decoration
- To its north lies the shrine of Hazrat Shahdaula and his five companions
- Kusumba Mosque: at Manda, Naogaon, on the bank of the Atrai river
- Sulaiman built it in 1558–59 in the time of Ghiyasuddin Bahadur Shah of the Sur dynasty (Zubair's book: Afghan period)
Check yourself
Which is the oldest mosque of Dhaka city?
At a glance
- 1
Sixty Dome Mosque is at Bagerhat, built by Khan Jahan Ali; 81 domes; UNESCO recognition in 1985.
- 2
Chhota Sona Mosque is at Shibganj, Chapainawabganj (Gaur), built by Wali Muhammad; nicknamed the “Jewel of Gaur”.
- 3
Binat Bibi Mosque is at Narinda and is Dhaka's oldest mosque; builder Bakht Binat Bibi.
- 4
Bagha Mosque is in Rajshahi, built by Nusrat Shah in 1523; famous for terracotta decoration.
- 5
Kusumba Mosque is at Manda, Naogaon, on the Atrai river bank, built in 1558–59.