The Niujie Mosque, the largest of all the mosques in Beijing, was first built in 996 by two Arabs during the Liao Dynasty. The local Muslim community was forbidden from constructing the mosque in a style other than traditional Chinese architecture, with the exception that the use of Arabic calligraphy was allowed. It was rebuilt in 1442 in the Ming Dynasty and expanded in 1696 under the Qing Dynasty. It is now one of the major mosques in north China. It underwent several alterations and since 1949 it has been repeatedly restored.
The Niu Jie Mosque occupies a site of over 6000 square meters. The buildings in the mosque are symmetrically arranged. The main buildings include the Wangyue Pavilion, the Worship Hall, the Stele Pavilion, and so on. Many important cultural relics, such as steles from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and cupreous hollowware from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), are preserved in the mosque. From the past to the present, Muslims come here to bathe and warship everyday. Especially on Islamic festivals, native and foreign Muslims gather here and celebrate the festivals together. Now Niujie is the residential place for more than 13,000 Muslims in Beijing City. Because Muslims mainly eat beef, there are a large number of stores selling beef and restaurants providing foods made of beef. Therefore, this place is called Niujie.
Ticket: 2 yuan
Bus line: 109, 822