Gyanvapi Mosque

The Gyanvapi Mosque is a mosque in Varanasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

History

The construction of the mosque was initiated by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The building is located north of Dashaswarmedh Ghat on the west bank of the Ganges. Originally, there was at this point a Hindu Shiva temple, Kashi Vishwanath Temple -. This Hindu temple complex was destroyed under the Islamic Mughal rulers several times and in the same place ultimately Gyanvapi Mosque was built in 1670.

To built in 1780, in the immediate vicinity of local Hindu rulers of the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple -. Some Hindu preacher and Indian nationalists demand currently to demolish the mosque and build there again a Shiva temple.