Juma Masjid Mosque

The Juma Masjid, often called the Grey Street Mosque, is the centrepiece of Durban's historic Indian commercial district and one of the city's most recognisable buildings. Its story began in 1881, when two merchants, Aboobaker Amod Jhaveri and Hajee Mohamed, bought the site and turned a small brick building on it into a mosque. Two minarets, shops, rooms and facilities for travellers were added in 1904 and 1905, and the mosque was rebuilt to a design by the architects Payne and Payne in 1927, with further extensions in the 1940s. It is listed as a heritage site, and for many years it was described as the largest mosque in the Southern Hemisphere.

What makes the building interesting is the way it mixes Islamic decoration with the colonial-era architecture of the surrounding streets. Rather than standing alone, it is a cluster of linked buildings, arcades and corridors where shops, prayer and community life sit side by side. Its gilt-domed minarets rise above the busy shopfronts, and inside, the main prayer hall is lined with marble and has a simple, calm interior. A girls' school next door is joined to the mosque's flat roof by a bridge.

The mosque is an active place of worship, so plan any visit inside for times outside prayers and behave as you would in any religious building. Dress conservatively, covering arms and legs, and women should bring a scarf to cover their hair. Shoes are removed before entering the prayer hall. Avoid visiting at midday on Fridays, when the main congregational prayer takes place, and phone ahead to check when visitors can go inside.

The streets around the mosque are best explored on foot during weekday daylight hours, ideally with a local guide or as part of an organised city walk, since the area is crowded and visitors should keep valuables out of sight. Nearby Grey Street, now Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street, is lined with small Indian eateries, many of them serving bunny chow, a curry served in a hollowed-out half loaf of bread. The Madressa Arcade, a narrow bazaar passage, leads off Grey Street, and the colourful Victoria Street Market, with its spices, incense and textiles, is a short walk away.

Allow 30 minutes to an hour for the mosque itself, and half a day if you want to combine it with the market and lunch. The district suits travellers interested in architecture, religion and Durban's Indian history, and it pairs well with a visit to the Temple of Understanding in Chatsworth for a fuller picture of the city's Indian heritage.