Aitiga Mosque

The Aitiga Mosque is located at Aitiga Square in Hashi downtown of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is the largest mosque in Xinjiang. It is said that the mosque was first built in 1462 (864 in Islamic Calendar).

Originally it was a small mosque. After reconstruction and expansion, it became a great mosque. A tall gate and highly erected minarets form a symmetrical architecture. The octagonal gate has two porticoes leading to the courtyard, one on each side. In the courtyard, there is a pool with limpid water in it. There are 158 carved columns in the mosque, which are arranged into a grid pattern, supporting the ceiling of the main worship hall. The ceiling is fancy and richly decorated. The main worship hall can accommodate more than 6,000 people.