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The Jamia Masjid Srinagar was originally built by Sultan Sikander in 1398. In the seventeenth century it was damaged several times by fire and rebuilt, the last time reconstructed in its original pattern. During the Sikh rule it remained closed for almost 25 years. The mosque has four cloisters supported by tall and magnificent pillars of cedar wood. There are 370 pillars in all and it is quite an experience to stand amidst these lofty columns. One gets the feeling of being in a forest. The central courtyard has a pool and a fountain that offers a serene and cool haven. A nineteenth century writer comments on the mosque thus, "The lofty pillars in the propylons, the details of the spires, and the uniformity of the whole design prove that the builders knew what they were about from plinth to finial - that they were reproducing forms of which they were masters."
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