Linxia Nanguan Mosque

Situated on Jiefang Road in the city of Linxia and with the Hongshui River running past in the north, the mosque is the center of religious activities for Moslems in Linxia. It was built in the last years of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). However, it was destroyed and rebuilt many times in the following centuries. The present mosque was rebuilt in 1979. It faces east and covers an area of 2,189 square meters. The roofs are supported by 30 huge columns. The screen wall facing the gate is decorated with cement bass-reliefs.On the roof of the front part of the mosque stand three thin towers with green tops. They are 22 meters high.The one in the middle is a minaret inscribed with sayings in Arabic from the Koran.The other two are Wangyuelou (Towers for Observing the Moon). Their tops are decorated with a treasure bottle and a moon. On the north sideof the mosque is a three storied structure built of wood and bricks. It is a place for imams and students of Islamic classics to read and work. Built in the combination of Chinese and Arabic styles, it is product of cultural flow between China and the outside world.