Songjiang Mosque

The Songjiang Mosque, located at Songjiang District, is the oldest mosque in Shanghai City. The mosque was first established during the Zhizheng reign (1341-1368) of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the government ordered to rebuild the mosque in 1391. After that, the mosque underwent three expansions in the dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it experienced four renovations. Therefore, the mosque still keeps the architectural styles of the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

The mosque faces the north. Around the mosque there used to be graveyards of Muslims. The mosque combines the Arabic columns and vault with the Chinese architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The main buildings include the main hall, a prayer niche, a corridor, two sermon halls, a mimbar and a water house, etc. The prayer niche and the mimbar are the representative constructions in the mosque. Four steles from different dynasties are preserved in the mosque.

On August 26, 1908, the Shanghai municipal government listed the Songjiang Mosque as a cultural relics unit under its special protection. In 1985, the government thoroughly renovated it and listed as a key cultural relics unit under protection. In 1989, the mosque reopened to the public.