Star Mosque (Tara Masjid)

Although it was built in the early 19th century, the Star Mosque didn’t take its current form until recently. The original Mughal-style structure had almost no ornamentation, but several structural changes and additions—including the star mosaics—were added in the 1920s. The mosaics that adorn the pillars, walls, and white domes are predominantly blue petal-shaped stars on a white background and were done in the Chinitikri style. This uses broken shards of porcelain and bottles to create designs.

Travelers generally visit the Star Mosque independently or on private guided tours of the city, which include the highlights of Old Dhaka.

• Non-Muslims are allowed to visit the Star Mosque, but it’s most appropriate to visit outside of prayer times.

• Visitors should dress appropriately to visit the mosque: long clothes that cover the legs, shoulders, chest, and arms, and women should take a scarf to drape over their heads.

• The pond in front of the mosque is often dry, but try to line up a shot with the mosque and the pond, as the large star design looks great in photos.

The Star Mosque is in the Armanitola area of Old Dhaka. The easiest way to get there from other parts of the city is to take a CNG (auto-rickshaw). Drivers will usually know where it is.

Time your visit to the Star Mosque to avoid prayer times. This generally means avoiding visiting on a Friday and during the five prayer times throughout the day on other days of the week. You may find the mosque closed outside prayer times, but the caretaker there can let you in.

Another Old Dhaka landmark is the Armenian Church, near the Star Mosque. The small whitewashed church was built in the late 18th century by the city’s Armenian Orthodox community, who had lived in Dhaka for many decades. It’s a great place to learn about Dhaka’s layers of history and culture. It’s a popular tourist attraction and gets plenty of visitors, but it no longer has any parishioners and doesn’t hold weekly masses.