The Moorish Mosque in Kapurthala is an extraordinary monument inspired by the Grand Mosque of Marrakesh. Its courtyard, arched colonnades, prayer hall and single square minaret are built in a Moorish-Revival style rarely seen in India. The structure, finished in subtle tones with detailed ornamentation, stands out among the city’s Sikh and Hindu architecture and is still an active mosque.
About this place
History & highlights
Commissioned by Maharaja Jagatjit Singh, the mosque was designed by French architect Maurice Mantout. Construction began in 1927 and finished in 1930, at a cost of about Rs 6 lakh. The design intentionally followed Moorish and North African patterns to honour Kapurthala’s Muslim subjects with what the Maharaja hoped would be one of the finest mosques in South-East Asia. After Independence, the mosque continued functioning as a place of worship and is now recognised as a key heritage site, illustrating the princely state’s secular patronage and global architectural influences.
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