Muhammad Mosque, Baku

Muhammad Mosque is an 11th-century mosque in Baku’s Old City. According to an Arabic inscription on its northern façade, it was built in 1078–1079 by al-Ustad al-Rais Muhammad, son of Abu Bakr. It is one of the oldest surviving medieval monuments in Baku and the city’s earliest securely dated mosque.

The mosque is also known as Siniggala Mosque, meaning “damaged tower.” The name dates from 1723, when Russian forces bombarded Baku and one of the shells struck the minaret, damaging its upper section. The minaret remained unrepaired until the 19th century, becoming a symbol of the city’s resistance.

The reconstructed minaret was designed to preserve the appearance of the earlier structure as closely as possible. Inside its cylindrical shaft is a narrow spiral staircase leading upward toward the muezzin’s balcony. The minaret is also decorated with a Kufic inscription beneath the balcony. Muhammad Mosque stands on Kichik Gala Street in the Inner City. The narrow lanes surrounding it provide visitors with close views of the mosque’s stone walls and distinctive minaret.