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| Located on Khairati Ghat, Ansari Road along
the walls of Shahjahanabad in Daryaganj, opposite Shakti Sthal
and south of Red Fort, Zinat-ul Masjid is also known as 'Ghata
Masjid'. Built in 1707 AD by Zinat-ul-Nissa Begum, the daughter
of Emperor Aurangzeb, the mosque is said to be a replica of
the magnificent Jama Masjid on a smaller scale. The main features
of this beautiful mosque are its sky touching minarets, Kangura
battlements and its alternative strips of white and black marble
on the domes. The mosque is a protected monument as it is of
considerable architectural merit. |
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| The mosque has a large courtyard, which is built
on a raised platform. Beneath the courtyard there are over 12
basement chambers, which were used for various purposes. It
also has a tank in the center, which is no longer in use. The
main entrance of the courtyard is from southern side while the
northern side entrance remains closed. The walls of the mosque
are built of random rubble and dressed stone while the floor
is constructed with red sandstone. The two towering minarets
are made mainly of red sandstone. Surmounted by three bulbous
domes, the prayer chamber of the mosque consists of seven arches.
There was also a tomb in the courtyard where Zinat-ul-Begum
was buried in 1711 AD. The British removed the tomb after the
1857 war when they used the mosque for military purposes. |
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