Star Mosque (Tara Masjid)
Place · Old Dhaka
Go in the morning on the way through Old Dhaka; 30 minutes outside prayer times to see the star-pattern tile mosaic; go by ride-hail and rickshaw, never on foot from the hotel.
- Skip Friday midday
- Cover up, shoes off
- Short stop
- Go morning, outside prayer times
- Bring cash
- Shoes off inside
- Queue: switch at 15 min
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9Old Dhaka's lanes are blocked by rickshaws, stalls and op…
- South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
- South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
- Bangladesh ↗Apply for a visa only on the official government e-visa portal or at an embassy; lookalike sites charge extra, and the rules differ by nationality.
- Bangladesh ↗Dress modestly in cities and near mosques: cover shoulders and knees, and women carry a scarf for mosques and shrines.
- Bangladesh ↗Carry Bangladeshi taka in small notes; rickshaws, markets and small shops are cash-only, and foreign cards are not accepted everywhere.
- Bangladesh ↗Political rallies, strikes (hartal) and blockades can close roads and cut mobile internet with little notice: check the news and your hotel before any transfer day and stay away from demonstrations.
- Dhaka Division ↗Fridays are the weekend and the quietest day for traffic: Old Dhaka's monuments are calmer, though many shops and museums shorten their hours.
- Dhaka ↗Old Dhaka's lanes are blocked by rickshaws, stalls and open drains, and many streets have no pavement: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Dhaka ↗A 10 km ride in Dhaka can take an hour or more at almost any time: plan one cluster per outing, and never book a tight connection on the same day.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Quietest around 07:00 or 15:00 · go morning, outside prayer times
- Tickets
- Adult: free; a small donation is customary (check)
- Time to spend
- 30–40 min · up to 60 min if you linger
Best time to go
Quiet mid-morning; busy at the five prayer times, and Friday midday is a full congregation: do not visit then.
Queue rule: switch if the queue passes 15 min; come back when under 5.
Opening hours
- Note
- A working mosque: visiting hours follow prayer times and are not printed until verified.
- Hours note
- Open to visitors outside prayer times; ask the caretaker at the door (check).
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Rickshaw or ride-hail to Armanitola; the last 200 m are a narrow lane
- Ticket
- on site · official site · bring cash
- Stairs
- Not recorded
- Shoes
- Shoes off; leave them at the entrance.
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance
- NoAccessible toilet
- NoWheelchair · Not recommended: narrow lane, steps and shoes-off floors.
- NoStroller · Use a carrier; the lane is too tight and broken for a stroller.
Sensory load
- Sensory load3/5 Medium
- Peak crowd5/5 Very high
Exposure: medium
What to bring and the rules
- Cash · The ticket desk is likely to take cash only.
- Clothing that meets the dress rule · Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair.
- Footwear that suits the rule · Shoes off; leave them at the entrance.
- Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair.
- No formal check.
- Informal.
- Ask first; no photos of worshippers.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: Café or sweets shop with seating nearby (field-verify)
- crowd: Armenian Church, quieter
- rain: Lane is flooded easily: skip and go to Ahsan Manzil
Nearest rescue anchor: A — north-west of the cluster: café or sweets shop with seating (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Cover shoulders and knees; women also cover their hair.
- Do not enter during prayer or on Friday midday unless invited.
- Ask before photographing worshippers.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- This is a small working mosque in Armanitola, Old Dhaka. It is best as a 20-30 minute stop, not a half-day.
- The star pattern is made of pieces of china tile set into the walls and domes; the mosque itself is 18th century and the mosaic work was added in the early 20th century (check the exact date locally).
- Women are usually allowed in the courtyard or a marked area only: ask the caretaker at the gate rather than walking in.
- The lanes around it are narrow, with rickshaws, motorbikes and open drains: wear closed shoes you can take off easily.
- A small donation to the caretaker is normal if he opens doors or shows you around; agree nothing before you have seen what he offers.
Best time of day
Go morning, outside prayer times. Plan 30–40 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; add one level on Fridays and Saturdays
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Bring cash; cards may not be taken (check).
- Dress code
- Shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair.
- Bags & lockers
- No formal check.
- Informal.
- Photos
- Ask first; no photos of worshippers.
- What's closed
- Prayer timescheckFive times a day; Friday midday is the main congregation.
- Ramadan and EidcheckHours change; go with a local guide if you visit.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Where to buy | Skip-the-line reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | free; a small donation is customary (check) | — | — |
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | free; donation optional (check) | — |
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
15min
Worthwhile
30min
Typical
40min
p95
60min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (40 min).
With the other 5 min, these are a walk away (their own visit time is on their page):
- Armanitola lanes and old shophouses0 min on foot · 5 min spare
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Inside, in order
Courtyard and outside walls
10 min10 minutes
Interior if the caretaker allows it
10 min10 minutes
A short walk to the Armenian Church
10 min10 minutes each way by rickshaw or on foot with a local
Plan this visit
- Crowd on arrival
- light
- Worst while inside
- light
- Leave by
- 08:408:40 AM
- Closing buffer
- unknown
Good window: go.
- No closing time is published here; confirm it on the official site for your date.
- Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partly
- Accessible toilet: no · no
- Wheelchair: no · noNot recommended: narrow lane, steps and shoes-off floors.
- Stroller: no · noUse a carrier; the lane is too tight and broken for a stroller.
Steps at the entrance and uneven ground in the lane; a wheelchair needs help.
Step-free route
- 1No step-free route; the entrance has steps and the lane is uneven.
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| ablution area | ||
| no visitor toilets (check) |
Seasons, festivals and night openings
| When | What happens | Effect on your visit | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot and humid from April to October; go early. The lane floods in heavy monsoon rain. |
“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Islamic decoration and tile work | good | — |
| A short stop inside a working Old Dhaka lane | good | — |
| Photographers who ask permission first | good | — |
Skip it if
- Friday midday or any prayer time
- You cannot cover shoulders and knees
- Heavy rain: the lane floods
Rules on site
- silence
- Speak quietly.
Combine with
Combine with
- 0 minArmanitola lanes and old shophouses
- 15 minArmenian Church — Lanes, so allow extra time.
- —Haji Biryani for lunch (rickshaw) · eat
- —Ahsan Manzil (15 minutes by rickshaw)
Walk the Old Dhaka area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
- The front wall and domes in soft morning light: Ask before photographing people at prayer.
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Can non-Muslims go in?
Usually yes outside prayer times, if dressed modestly and welcomed by the caretaker; the rule is local, so ask at the door.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Why is it called the Star Mosque?
The domes and walls are covered with star and floral patterns made from small pieces of china tile.
Is it worth it if I only have one morning in Old Dhaka?
It is a good short stop next to Ahsan Manzil and the Armenian Church, but Ahsan Manzil and the river come first if time is short.
Can I walk there from Ahsan Manzil?
It is about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) through lanes with rickshaws and traffic; take a rickshaw or a car.It is about 0.9 mi (1.5 km) through lanes with rickshaws and traffic; take a rickshaw or a car.
Photos
Photos
Star Mosque Photo: Shariful Islam Masum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Deep dive
Sources
- officialBangladesh National Portal
- secondaryWikipedia — Star Mosque
- secondaryWikivoyage — Dhaka
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The quietest window written into this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.