Mahabat Khan Masjid the largest mosque of Peshawar is located in the old city of  Peshawar known as “ander shehr”(inner city).  Built in seventeenth Century it is named after Mahabat Khan Mirza Lerharsib who twice governed Peshawar under Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb time period. The exact date of the completion of this masjid is not clear as there are three  years marked for its completion that are (1627, 1630 & 1670 AD) . But 1670 is said to be  more as  masjid completion date than the other two .

It is also said that Mahabat khan masjid was completely destroyed in the great fire of june 1898 which raged through Bazzar.It was renovated in 20th century and is now a remarkable example of mughal architecture with elements like fluted domes and courtyards.

Following architectural details are taken from www.urbanpk.com

The Mosque is a rectangle of 185′ x 163′. It is approached through three raised entrances, one each on the east, south, and north. The central open courtyard is surrounded by a row of cells on the south and north, while the Aiwan on the west is surrounded by three fluted or ribbed domes. On the southeast and northeast corners are two minarets with a projecting balcony near the centre, surmounted by a domed pavilion which rests on a coved platform supported by a series of brackets. The platform is augmented by a railing with screened balustrades. The minarets have been created in three stories served by a flight of narrow steps.

A series of low minarets are placed along the parapet, especially atop the projecting frame of the central arched opening of the Aiwan. Five arched gateways to the east of the  open into its five compartments. The arched openings are surrounded with half-domes and engrailedarches. The facing of the chamber has decorative arched panels divided by flat borders which run along the sides and top of the recessed arch. The battle-mented parapet is crowned with a series of merlons. The three fluted ones have cavettos and gilded finials.

Internally, well-devised pendentives have been erected to create a zone of transition, holding the round base of the

dome, while the alternate compartments have flat vaulting. The arches dividing the compartments rest on high piers, while each compartment has a deep, recessed arch in the thickness of the western wall to serve as a mihrab. The main central compartment has a much deeper arch for the main mihrab.

Almost the entire interior surface is filled withpanels of various sizes, shapes, and designs, decorated with mural paintings. Superb frescos of floral motifs, leaves, vases, and intertwined foliage adorn the walls and ceiling. Verses from the Holy Quran are also most elegantly painted. The ornamentation was redone during the early days of the present century, most probably according to the original scheme.

Many years ago there was an interesting news in Dawn about mahabat khan masjid. It said that Gen Yahaya visited this place in 1970 and issued directives to remove red bricks and fix marble slabs in prayer hall and along the walls.The top domes of the minars were destroyed by the Sikh rulers, and later rebuilt by British. it is the only masjid that has survived the devistation of Sikhs.

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