Shah Jahan Mosque: Britain's First Purpose-Built Mosque, in Woking
Completed in 1889, the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking was the first purpose-built mosque in Britain and northern Europe.
On Oriental Road, a short distance from Woking town centre, stands a building of genuine national significance: the Shah Jahan Mosque, completed in 1889 and recognised as the first purpose-built mosque in Britain, and indeed in the whole of northern Europe.
A landmark of its time
The mosque was built in a Persian-Saracenic Revival style, crowned by a dome and four small minarets, and constructed from Bath and Bargate stone. It was funded with the support of the ruler of Bhopal, after whom it is named, and designed as part of an Oriental institute established in the town.
Part of Woking's story
The mosque reflects a long and often surprising strand of Woking's history as a place of cultural exchange. It has served worshippers for well over a century and remains an active place of worship and a Grade I listed building.
Visiting
The mosque is a working religious site, so visitors should be respectful of prayer times and any guidance from the community. It is one of several buildings that give Woking a heritage far richer than its modern town centre might first suggest.
Sources
- The Crazy Tourist — 15 best things to do in Woking
- Woking area heritage information