Photo: Saadnadeem · CC BY-SA 4.0Field guides / Punjab / Bahawalpur & Cholistan / Abbasi Mosque, Derawar
Field guide · Heritage
Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur District · Punjab, Pakistan
Abbasi Mosque, Derawar
The white marble mosque beside Derawar Fort in the Cholistan desert, built by Nawab Bahawal Khan in 1849 on the pattern of Delhi's Jama Masjid.
The Abbasi Mosque, also called the Derawar Mosque, stands close to Derawar Fort in the Cholistan desert of Bahawalpur district. Nawab Bahawal Khan built it in 1849, modelled on the Shah Jahani Jama Masjid of Delhi. Three marble domes crown its prayer hall, two octagonal minarets frame a triple-arched facade carved with Quranic calligraphy, and its courtyard and hall together hold about ten thousand worshippers.
Why go
- ✦Built in 1849 by Nawab Bahawal Khan
- ✦Three marble domes above the desert
- ✦Beside Derawar Fort in Cholistan
How to Reach
Beside Derawar Fort in Cholistan, by road from Bahawalpur via Yazman.
Planning tip
Best Time to Visit, November to February; the desert is very hot from April to September. The Cholistan Jeep Rally in February brings crowds.
Getting there, Beside Derawar Fort in Cholistan, by road from Bahawalpur via Yazman.
Allow, Half an hour with Derawar Fort; a full day from Bahawalpur.
What to Do
Nearby
Straight-line distance from Abbasi Mosque, Derawar, within 5 km.
