The Safa Masjid or Shahouri Masjid in Ponda taluka, is the biggest and most famous of the mosques in Goa. It was built in 1560 by Ibrahim Adilshah of Bijapur.
The mosque once manicured a garden that has not survived, but till date its architecture remains impressive..
Festivals
The two major festivals of Id-Ul-Fitr and Id-Ul-Zuha are celebrated at this mosque with great pomp.
Architecture
The Safa Shahouri Masjid is a small single chambered mosque with tiled roof having flight of steps in front. A masonary colonnade adorns the outer periphery of mosque platform surmounted by finials. However, many of the coloums are missing. Adjacent to and south of the mosque, there is a masonary water tank measuring 30x 30 m with Mihrab designs. The mosque and the tank were fronted on east by a garden of Charbagh type with laterite walkways. The water tank is believed to be connected by secret underground tunnels to a larger reservoir. A broad road from the east leads with a flight of steps to the main entrance of the precincts.
Timings:
5 AM – 9:30 PM on all days.
