The Chaqchan Mosque (Urdu: مسجد چقچن; meaning “The Miraculous Mosque”[1]) is a mosque in the city of Khaplu, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan. Dating from 1370, the mosque is one of the oldest in the region, and dates from the time when the area's populace converted en masse from Tibetan Buddhism to Islam.[2][3] The mosque shares similar architecture as those built in the Kashmir Valley.[4] It features a blend of Tibetan, Mughal and Persian styles of architecture.[5]
History
According to some sources the mosque was built by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani[6] while other say on the arrival of Sufi saint Syed Nurbakhsh from Kashmir to Baltistan, the local ruling Raja converted to Islam and commissioned the building of the mosque[7] in 1370 CE. However, the dating of the latter theory contradicts historical sources which suggests that the mosque was probably constructed more than two decades before the birth of Syed Nurbakhsh.
Conservation
The Government of Pakistan has listed the Chaqchan Mosque as a Pakistan Heritage Site. The mosque is now currently in use after extensive conservation works.
Architecture
Architecturally, the mosque displays a blend of Tibetan, Mughal and Persian styles,[8][9] and consists of a two-story cubic complex: Semi-basement, ground floor with a turret atop. The perimetral walls of the cubic structure are composed of wooden slabs stacked to form a frame with its void spaces daubed with clay or mud that is in fact this technology is similar to the Roman opus craticum technique. This method of construction is one of the oldest known for making a weatherproof structures and it is also suitable for harsh winter conditions.[10][11]
