The Id Kah Mosque is located on the central square in Kashgar City, Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region. As the biggest mosque in China, it is a group of old Islamic constructions with strong ethnic style and religious features. “Id Kah” means “a place of praying and celebrating in festivals”.
The whole complex occupies 16,800 square meters (about 4 acres) and consists of the courtyard, the Hall of Prayer, and the gate tower and as well as some other attached structures.
Just inside the gate is a big courtyard. In it, the poplar trees reach the sky and the pines grow vigorously like boys and girls in their adolescence. The whole yard is heavily shaded, making you as cool and comfortable as if you were in an air-conditioned environment.
The Hall of Prayer is on a high dais in the west end of the mosque. The roof is held by light blue pillars and all the pillars form a rectangular shape. Around the roof and the pillars are exquisite carvings and beautiful pictures. This tower is full of elaborate flower-pattern carvings, mainly in green.
Location: Jiefang Road, Kashgar City
Transportation: Bus 13 and 77 can reach Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar City.
Ticket: CNY 30
Opening hours: 08:50 - 10:00
Tips:
1. Women travelers can’t get into the Id Kah Mosque without permission and need to cover your heads with scarves.
2. Visitors need to take off your shoes when you visit mosques.
3. If you want to take photos, you need to ask the Imam for permission and you can’t photography at the front or side of the prayers.
4. The roofs of shopping malls at the right side of the Id Kah Square are the best place to take photos of Id Kah Mosque. But you have to arrive before 7:00 in the morning.