Name of the monument: Shahi Masjid Chiniot
Location. Chiniot
Date of Construction: (1648-1655 AD)
Material of construction and finishes: Stone, Fresco paintings
Shahi Masjid Chiniot was built by Nawab Saad ullah Khan, Prime Minister under Shah Jahan. He was a native of Chiniot and served as prime minister of Shah Jahan. It is an exceedingly handsome edifice of hewn stone obtained from the hills near Chiniot. The mosque is set on a high podium with perimeter shops. The mosque is 108 feet 6 inches long and 97 feet 9 inches wide. The main prayer hall comprised 7 bays long on the north-south sides and 3 bays deep on the east-west side, topped by three domes. The external façades are distinguished by their prominent decoration and by the four corner towers. The internal court has an ablution pool and three domes over a gallery bordering the prayer hall. The mosque was built with hewn stone quarried from the neighboring hills. The mosque was beautifully decorated with fresco paintings in floral design on a red background. The front façade is comprised of nine pairs of multifoil arches. The base of the columns, shafts, and arches closely resembles mainstream Imperial Mughal architecture. The main entrance is distinguished by a projected gateway approached by a flight of steps. In terms of form, it closely resembles Jamia Masjid Delhi. The internal court has an ablution pool and three domes over a gallery bordering the prayer hall.
Naqoosh-e-Javidan 