Carved panels
Fine relief around the doorways.
Zitu.madcap0901125 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kamrul727 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kamrul727 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Shariful Islam Masum — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Parvezahmed — CC BY-SA 4.0
Goaldi Mosque is a small single-domed brick mosque in Sonargaon, the old capital of eastern Bengal. It is one of the finest surviving examples of Bengal Sultanate architecture around Dhaka, and stands about 1.3 km in a straight line from the historic town of Panam. The mosque was built in 1519, in the reign of Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah, by Mulla Hizabar Akbar Khan. Over time the dome and most of the south, east and north walls collapsed, leaving only the western qibla wall standing, and the building was restored in 1975. The prayer hall is square, about 5 metres a side inside, enclosed by walls between 1.65 and 2.29 metres thick. A single dome crowns it, and ribbed round towers mark the four corners, the only example of circular corner towers in the Dhaka district. The east front has three arched doorways framed by panels of delicate carved relief, and a row of small niches with floral motifs runs under the gently sloping cornice. The mosque sits in a small garden and a visit is short, so pair it with Panam. Respect worshippers if you arrive at prayer time, and dress modestly.
Fine relief around the doorways.
Over a small square hall.
Unique in the Dhaka district.
Goaldi village, Sonargaon, Narayanganj, Bangladesh
The western qibla wall is original; the collapsed parts were restored in 1975.
The historic town of Panam, about 1.3 km away.
