Planning your Beijing Muslim tour? The history of the mosques in Beijing dates back to the year 996 when two Arabic elders started the construction of Niu Jie Mosque (Ox Street Mosque), the first mosque in Beijing. The Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368) saw the fast development of Islam after the influx into China of a great number of Muslims. The famous Dongsi Mosque was established in the Yuan Dynasty. Islam developed greatly in the Ming and Qing dynasties, adding over 30 mosques in Beijing.

Today there are an estimated over 200,000 Muslims and 72 mosques in Beijing. We list the best and most popular mosques in Beijing in no particular order. The list is based on their history, facilities, scale and popularity.

1.Niujie Mosque 牛街清真寺

The Niujie Mosque is the oldest mosque in Beijing. It was originally built in 996 during the Liao Dynasty and was reconstructed and renovated in successive dynasties. The mosque has had three big renovations since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

Niujie Mosque is located in the largest Muslim community in Beijing. The Niujie Mosque takes an area of approximately 10,000 square meters. Its architecture is a blend of Islamic and Han Chinese cultural and architectural influences.

Add: No. 88 Niujie St, Xicheng District, Beijing

2.Dongsi Mosque 东四清真寺

The Dongsi mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Beijing. It was originally built in 1356 during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The present mosque is mainly composed of two gates, a minaret, a worship hall and a library. The worship hall can house 500 people praying and there is a separate area in the main hall for women. It has been restored and renovated many times. The library houses valuable manuscripts of the Quran, the Hadith. The mosque is the headquarters of the Islamic Association of Beijing.

Add: No. 13, Dongsi South Street, Dongcheng, Beijing

3. Huashi Mosque 花市清真寺Huashi Mosque was first built in 1415 during the reign of the emperor Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). It is located on the west side of the Huashi Street in Dongcheng District. It underwent several renovations and expansions.

The present Worship Hall is the largest architecture in the mosque. The other buildings in the mosque include the Stele Pavilion, the Jingu Hall, the Sermon Room, and bedrooms.

Add: No. 30 West Huasi Street, Dongcheng, Beijing

4. Nan Douya Mosque 南豆芽清真寺Nan Douya Mosque was originally constructed during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). This mosque mainly serves the Hui community that lives in the area, but it now receives thousands of foreigners each year.

The Nan Douya Mosque has no entrance fee but it encourages donations from visitors. It is located next to the Chaoyangmen subway station of Subway Line 2.

Add: 15 Nandouya Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing

5.Haidian Mosque 北京海淀清真寺

Haidian Mosque was originally built in the late Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty. It is a three-hall courtyard layout. The prayer hall is in the center of the mosque with the kiln hall at its back and the Baishi platform at its front. A square corners pavilion is atop the prayer hall telling the Islamic architectural style.The teaching rooms are in the south and north of the yard. The north of the mosque houses a vegetable garden and the west has the Yidi place (a cemetery).

Add: West Zhalan Road, Haidian Town, Haidian District, Beijing

6.Dewai Mosque 德外清真寺

Dewai Mosque is also known as Beijing Fayuan Mosque. It is located 200-300m to the northeast of Desheng Gate, hence the name of Dewai Mosque, meaning “outside Desheng Gate Mosque”. It was originally constructed in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

In 2003, the local Xicheng District government allocated 8 million yuan and collected 2 million yuan for the renovation of the old mosque. Now the upgraded Dewai Mosque covers an area of 4,000 square meters, 3 sizes of the original mosque. The mosque entrance faces the street to the west. The Dewai Mosque is a mix of Chinese architecture and Arabic Islamic architectural style. To the southeast corner of the main 200 square meter prayer hall is the smaller prayer hall for females. Every day many Muslims come here to pray and some non-Muslim visitors visit the mosque as well.

Add: No. 200 Dewai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

7.Jinshifang Street Mosque 锦什坊街清真寺

Jinshifang Street Mosque is named after the street in the west of Beijing where the mosque is located. The mosque is also known as “Pushou Mosque”. It was originally built in the year of the 4th year of Xuande in the Ming Dynasty (1429), one of the four major mosques in Beijing. It was rebuilt and renovated several times in the past.

In 1982, the old mosque was reconstructed with a construction area of 1,373 square meters. The main prayer hall covers an area of 200 square meters in the style of Chinese classical palace architecture. The buildings inside the mosque is spectacular with its shape and colorful design in the Ming style. There are over 2,500 Muslim households of over 11,000 Muslims using the mosque. There are over 150 rolls of Arabic classics and over 100 Persian rolls of classics. The Xicheng Muslim Association is located inside the mosque.

Add: No. 63, Jinshifang Street, Xicheng District, Beijing

8.Changying Mosque 常营清真寺

Changying Mosque is named after the village where the mosque is located. Changying Mosques was originally constructed in the Zhenge period in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and was largely reconstructed in the Jiaqing period in the Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911). It was the largest mosque in the suburbs of Beijing. Today it is still an important religious site for nearby Muslims to pray.

In the years of in 1983, 1993 and 1998, the Changying Mosque was renovated and repaired for several times. Built on an axis from east to west, Changying Mosque faces the east and it is a three-hall courtyard with Chinese characteristics of black bricks and green tiles. In recent years there is a newly constructed a separate hall of women, designed for female Muslims to pray.

Add: Changying Minzu Village, Chaoyang District, Beijing

9.Madian Mosque 马甸清真寺

Beijing Madian Mosque takes an area of over 3,800 square meters. It has the style of a traditional Chinese courtyard. The main structures include the prayer hall, teaching rooms and the hall for female Muslims. Historically, the Madian area has been inhabited by numerous Muslims, another big Muslim community after Niujie community.

Beside the local Muslims, there are many Muslims coming from the universities and expats and Muslims from all parts of the world, especially from Arabic countries and people from the Southeast countries in Asia.

Add: No. 7, Madian South Village, Haidian District, Beijing

10.Dongzhimen Mosque 东直门清真寺

Dongzhimen was originally constructed during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). But the present building was reconstructed in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Now, the mosque is laid out in the shape of a traditional quadrangle courtyard of Chinese characteristics. The mosque includes such buildings as the prayer hall, and other houses and the wing-room and other facilities.

Add: No. 6, Waichaci, Dongzhimenwai, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Source: www.tour-beijing.com