Blue Mosque

About this place

The Blue Mosque, also known as the Mausoleum of Imam Ali, is a shrine and mosque complex at the centre of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, visited all year round. Blue and turquoise tiles cover its walls and domes, so from afar it looks like a piece of the sky, and the broad white marble plaza before it makes its colours even clearer, above all in the sun. Local tradition holds that the site contains the tomb of Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib, a story that differs from the better-known one placing his tomb in Najaf in Iraq, and that people here tell with pride. Crowds gather each year to celebrate Nowruz. A flag used to be raised in the Janda Bala ceremony, which has been officially halted in recent years. You see huge facades with tall gateways, minarets and blue domes, with fine patterns of flowers and script on every surface. Large flocks of white doves wheel over the plaza, among the best-known sights of the place. This is a place of worship first of all, so keep quiet and respect the pilgrims, and you may not be allowed into the hall. It stands in central Mazar-i-Sharif, and visitors walk there from the surrounding streets. Dress modestly, women should cover their hair, and take off your shoes when asked. The plaza gets very crowded around Nowruz. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Afghanistan, and access may not be possible, so check official guidance before making any plans.