Sonargaon (সোনারগাঁ): travel guide

Medieval capital of Bengal featuring Panam City ghost town, Bangladesh Folk Art Museum, and labyrinthine terracotta merchant mansions.

Sonargaon is in Narayanganj district, Dhaka division, Bangladesh. Compare bus, train and air fares to Sonargaon and see the route on a map.

Things to do in Sonargaon

  • Joynul Abedin Smriti Jadughar: Memorial museum to the artist Joynul Abedin with his paintings, sketches and personal belongings. Museum, free entry
  • Goaldi Mosque: Sultanate-period mosque at Goaldi in Sonargaon, built in 1519 (925 AH) by Mulla Hizbar Akbar Khan under Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah; square brick prayer hall with a single dome, circular corner towers and terracotta ornament. Restored in 1975. Religious, free entry
  • Panam Nagar: Street of 52 brick merchant mansions (31 north, 21 south side) from the 19th century blending Bengali, Mughal and colonial styles; a protected archaeological site where tickets have been required since 6 October 2015. Historical, free entry
  • Sonargaon Folk Art and Craft Museum: Folk art museum run by the Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation (founded 1975), housed in the 1901 Bara Sardar Bari zamindar mansion beside a lake; displays textiles, pottery, woodwork and metal crafts. Museum, entry about 50 BDT
  • Banglar Taj Mahal: Replica of the Taj Mahal built by film-maker Ahsanullah Moni between 2003 and 2008 as a tourism destination for low-income families; opened to the public in March 2009. Daily 09:00-19:00 per Wikivoyage. Park, free entry
  • Panch Pir Dargah (পাঁচ পীরের মাজার): Shrine of five Sufi saints (Panch Pir) at Sonargaon, a popular pilgrimage site; Wikivoyage dates the tombs to the 17th century. Religious, free entry
  • Jyoti Basu's Ancestral House (Bardi) (জ্যোতি বসুর বাড়ি): Ancestral home of the late politician Jyoti Basu in Bardi (Baradi) village, Sonargaon; the village is also known for Isa Khan's palace remains and the Sonali Mosque. Historical, free entry

Where to stay in Sonargaon

  • Sonargaon Royal Resort (Resort), about Check with hotel for current rates. Resort near the historic Sonargaon area

Travel advice for Sonargaon

  • Combine Panam, museum and Goaldi Mosque in one day: Panam Nagar, the Folk Art and Craft Museum and Goaldi Mosque are all in Sonargaon and are commonly done together as a day trip from Dhaka.
  • Check closing days at Sonargaon: The Folk Art Museum is open 9am-5pm Friday to Wednesday, so closed on Thursdays (Wikivoyage); tour listings add that Panam City is closed on Sundays. Panam Nagar has required tickets since 2015 and the museum charges an entry fee, so carry small cash.

More places to explore in Bangladesh

JatraSathi is a free Bangladesh trip planner in English and Bangla. Prices are estimates; check before you travel.