Great Mosque of Herat

The Great Mosque of Herat (the Friday or Jami mosque) is the main congregational mosque in the city of Herat in western Afghanistan and one of the city’s principal historic monuments.

The mosque complex contains a large central courtyard, multiple iwans opening off the courtyard, and covered prayer halls offering space for large congregations. Its exterior and interior surfaces display glazed tile and brick ornamentation that attract interest from students of Islamic architecture.

The site has hosted a congregational mosque since the medieval period and was substantially rebuilt and altered by successive regional dynasties, including significant Timurid-era work and later restorations. The complex has been repaired and conserved at various times to address earthquake damage and age-related deterioration.

The mosque sits in Herat’s old city close to the citadel and urban core of Herat, in Herat Province in western Afghanistan.

• Proximity: Located in the old city near the Arg of Herat, making it easy to visit both the mosque and the citadel on the same trip.
• Architecture: The complex displays notable glazed tilework and glazed brick decoration characteristic of Timurid and later Islamic architecture.

What to See #

• Central courtyard: Central courtyard with iwans leading into the main prayer spaces; the courtyard is a focal point for congregational gatherings and processions.
• Prayer hall: Main prayer hall featuring traditional Islamic decorative elements and a covered roof area used for daily prayers.
• Minarets and gateways: Several minarets and entrance portals that mark the mosque's external profile and provide vertical emphasis to the complex.