Huaisheng Mosque

Huaisheng Mosque, located at No. 56, Guangta Road, is the earliest surviving mosque and has the earliest freestanding minaret in China.

Huaisheng Mosque, was first built in 627, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is established for remember the ancestor of Islam, Mohammed, so the name of Huaisheng (remembering the sage) Mosque. It is one of the four most well-known mosques in China, the other three being Yangzhou Crane Mosque, Quanzhou Kylin Mosque and Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque.

Huaisheng Mosque, covering an area of more than 2,966 square meters, features six important buildings, the Imam Hall, the Wangyue Attic, the Covered Corridor, the Storehouse of Islamic Scripture, the Stone Steles Pavilion and the Light Tower.

The Light Tower has no precedent in China with its thick cylindrical masonry shaft and internal stairway. The mosque is also named Light Tower Mosque. The Light Tower used to serve as a beacon for boats on the Zhujiang River.

Today, Huaisheng Mosque still plays a very important role in Muslim life in Guanzhou.