The Id Kah Mosque is the largest mosque in China. The mosque was built by Saqsiz Mirza in 1442 (although it incorporated older structures dating back to 996) and covers 16,800 square meters. At midday on Fridays around 10,000 people will gather to pray and study the Koran, and prayer 5 timesday on other days. You'll be asked to remove your shoes before entering the Main Hall of the Id Kah Mosque, which has traditional Islamic pillars, carvings and rugs strewn over the floors. Women are advised to cover upper arms and legs. A scarf is not compulsory, but is seen as a mark of respect.Id Kah Mosque comprises a gate tower, the Hall of Prayer, the Hall of Scripture, a courtyard and other attached structures. At the entrance to the mosque, the gate tower is built of yellow bricks that make the whole tower splendid, solemn and lofty. This tower can be considered the best amongst the whole group of buildings in terms of design. As you pass through it you see a large courtyard in front of you with tall trees, beautiful flowers and a clean pond. The whole scene is delightful. Altogether there are 36 Halls of Scripture on both the south and north sides of Id Kah Mosque. The Hall of Prayer is on the east side of the mosque and includes Formal Halls and Attached Halls. Blankets or reed mats are laid on the ground for Moslems' praying.
The importance of Id Kah Mosque is not only because of its long life and exquisite construction, but also because it is a sacred place for all the Xinjiang Moslems. Every Friday afternoon (the most important day of the week in their religion), Moslems from nearby come here to worship. The Mosque can house 6,000 to 7,000 people at one time.