Which Delhi mosque, commissioned by Shah Jahan, was completed in 1656?

Delhi’s Jama Masjid, commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, was completed in 1656.

The mosque was built in Shahjahanabad, the imperial city that Shah Jahan established as his capital. Construction began in 1650 and involved thousands of workers. Its elevated courtyard, red sandstone walls, white marble details, three domes, and tall minarets made it one of the most important Mughal mosques in northern India.

The name Jama Masjid means “Friday mosque,” referring to the congregational prayers held on Fridays. The building is also called Masjid-i Jahan-Numa, commonly translated as “world-reflecting mosque.”

It is often confused with the Moti Masjid, another Mughal mosque in Delhi, but that smaller white-marble mosque was built later inside the Red Fort for Aurangzeb.