Built between 1493 and 1526, the well-preserved ‘Small Golden Mosque’ is oddly named given that it’s actually jet black with just patches of terracotta brickwork. Despite its misleading name, it’s a fine specimen of pre-Mughal architecture. The chief attraction here is the superb decoration carved on the black-stone walls. On both the inner and outer walls, ornate stonework in shallow relief covers the surface. It also features an ornate women’s gallery, arched gateways and lavishly decorated mihrabs. This living mosque draws in large crowds for Friday prayers, but outside prayer time it’s fine for non-Muslims to enter. This mosque is usually just referred to as ‘Sona Masjid’. Your bus from Rajshahi will stop beside it.
