Hassanabad Jamaat Khana

This is one of the earliest jamaat khanas (space designated for communal religious practice of Shia Ismaili Muslims) of Hunza. It was constructed by the community in 1922, at the behest of the special Ismaili envoys of the Aga Khan III (imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims). This building later had the privilege of hosting the 49th Ismaili Imam (Shah Karim Al -Hussaini, Aga Khan IV) for an audience with his deedar (followers) in 1960, during his historic visit to the region. This was the first such Endeavour of an Ismaili Imam to meet his jamaat (religious community) of Gilgit, Hunza and Ghizir. For this reason, the building holds a special religious and historic significance within the community. The building itself consists of a prayer hall, surrounded by a veranda on three of its sides, and built using a cribbage and cator technique. However, the timber elements of its wooden structure are not visible due to a plaster applied more recently to its walls. According to a local resource, there once used to be a Tibetan tower on top of the building, but it was removed before 1960. Despite many recent interventions, this building stands magnificently within its surroundings. The old entrance doors on the west have been replaced with two new doors in the eastern wall. The old entrances have two pentagonal foyers that break the linearity of the building, and further enhance the value of its form. This jamaat khana has a flat wooden roof and a carved fascia board around the parapet walls of the building.