Niujie Mosque

The Niujie Mosque (simplified Chinese: 牛街礼拜寺; traditional Chinese: 牛街禮拜寺; pinyin: Niú Jiē Lǐ Bài Sì; Wade–Giles: Niu-chieh Li-pai-ssu), also known as the Oxen Street House of Worship (Chinese: 牛街清真寺; pinyin: Niú Jiē Qīng Zhēn Sì; Wade–Giles: Niu-chieh Ch'ing-chen-ssu), or the Oxen Street Mosque, is the oldest mosque in Beijing, China.

It was built in 996 CE during the Liao dynasty, destroyed during the Mongol conquest of China, was rebuilt during the 15th century, and was reconstructed and enlarged during the 17th century, under the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1661–1722) of the Qing dynasty. The mosque is listed as a Chinese major cultural heritage site.

The mosque is located in the Niujie area of Beijing's Xicheng District, the spiritual centre for the almost 10,000 Muslims living in the vicinity and it is the biggest and oldest one in Beijing. It was within the Xuanwu District before it merged into Xicheng in 2010. Niujie in Xicheng District, where the mosque is located, is the largest and biggest area inhabited by Muslims in Beijing.

The Niujie Mosque covers an area of approximately 10,000 square metres (110,000 sq ft). The mosque reflects a mixture of Islamic and Han Chinese cultural and architectural influences. From the outside, its architecture shows traditional Chinese influence and the inside has a blend of Islamic calligraphy and Chinese design. The main prayer hall is 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft) in area, and can hold more than 1,000 worshipers. The mosque, built out of timber, is home to some important cultural relics and tablets such as the upright tablet of an emperor's decree proclaimed in 1694 during the Qing dynasty.