One of the oldest mosques in West Bengal, Katra Masjid is situated in Murshidabad. Built by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan in 1723, after whom Murshidabad is named this mosque is one of the main tourist attractions. Raised on a platform, this double storied mosque is built with brick and has an array of domes and two 70-ft tall octagonal minarets which have small holes used to keep weapons.
The mosque had four minarets out of which two were destroyed. A winding staircase takes you to the top of the minaret from where one gets a spectacular view of the surroundings.
Now maintained by Archaeological Survey of India, Katra Mosque can accommodate about 2000 people inside the prayer area at the same time. The tomb of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan is found beneath a flight of stairs near the entrance of the mosque.Believed to be built over a Hindu Temple by a Persian architect Murad Farash Khan, this mosque was considered as a centre of Islamic learning.
Katra Mosque is about 2 km from Murshidabad Railway Station on the Berhampore-Lalgola road.
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