Mosques have been a place of worship and center place for other Islamic activities for a very long time. Mosques are not only sacred places but also a symbol of the rich culture and dynasties of Muslims in the past. Mosques at different places display the culture and heritage of that place.
The Arabic word for mosque is ‘Masjid’. This is the place where Muslims gather to say the name of Allah and remember the creator.
Muslims gather in a mosque five times a day to pray. Muslims offer ‘Salat’ in a mosque which is a way to talk to Allah and also to thank Allah for all His blessings.
Mosques have been in existence for a very long time. Till today, mosques have been a source of getting insight into Muslim history and culture. They are also places of attraction for visitors from all around the world.
7 Most Stunning Mosques around the World
Some of the most stunning mosques around the world are famous for their spectacular architecture. Mosques are beautiful in their own unique way. All mosques are beautiful but some of them attract more visitors than usual. Some of the most stunning mosques around the world are given below.
1. Sultan Ahmet Mosque: Istanbul, Turkey
This mosque is a very famous mosque in Istanbul. Many visitors come to see the place due to its popularity among tourists from around the world. This mosque was built between the years 1609-1617. The mosque was built in Turkey’s Ottoman era.
Another name for the mosque is blue mosque because it has blue hand-painted tiles inside for decoration. This mosque was actually built to compete with the Hagia Sophia mosque in Turkey. The mosque has the capacity to accommodate nearly 100,000 people at one time.
2. Bibi-Khanum Mosque: Samarkand, Uzbekistan
This mosque was built by the wife of Timur. He was a ruler of the Timurid dynasty. The wife built this mosque as a surprise for Timur while he was away. Thousands of laborers were brought to take part in the building of this mosque. The ambition was to build the mosque as the biggest ever structure in Uzbekistan. However, the mosque fell apart with time. It has now been reconstructed and is a great tourist attraction for visitors from Central Asian countries.
3. Massalikoul Jinaan Mosque: Dakar, Senegal
This mosque was built in the year 2019. It is now the largest mosque in West Africa. The mosque has the capacity to accommodate 30,000 worshippers at once. An Islamic Institute and a library are also parts of this mosque. More than 500 builders participated in the construction of this mosque. Another important fact about the mosque is that it was initially constructed by the locals of Senegal.
4. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque: Abu Dhabi, UAE
This is indeed one of the most stunning mosques in the world. It is very famous among tourists from around the world due to its magnificent architecture and grandeur building.
The mosque has 83 domes and 30 different types of marble are used in the construction of this mosque. There are more than 1000 pillars in the mosque which are decorated with stones like jasper, amethyst, lapis lazuli, etc.
It took more than 11 years to build the mosque. More than 3000 laborers participated in the construction of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The material used in the construction of the mosque was imported from different countries around the world like Morocco, Italy, India, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran, China, New Zealand, Pakistan, etc.
5. Nasir-ul-Mulk Mosque: Shiraz, Iran
Shiraz is a very old city in Iran and this mosque is located here which shows its historical value. Pink tiles are used to decorate the walls of the mosque. That is why the mosque is also known as the ‘Pink Mosque.’
Persian rugs are used to decorate the floors of the mosque. There is also a courtyard in the mosque with a pool that looks very beautiful at night time.
Colorful stained glass windows are one of the most fantastic features of the mosque. If you visit the mosque in the morning, you can see the sunlight shining through the colorful window glasses and making rainbow patterns on the mosque floor inside.
6. Great Mosque of Djenne: Mali
This mosque has a very distinctive and glorious construction. The structure shows the Sudano-Sahelian architecture in a very magnificent way. Adobe plaster and mud bricks are used in the construction of this mosque. This is also the world’s largest structure made from mud.
There is a plastering festival held in Mali every year. All the citizens take part in this festival and re-plaster the mosque. Women provide water and the men do the mixing process. The elders take part as the directors and advisors. An essential fact about the mosque is that the natives have preserved the mosque in its original form till now.
7. Masjid-Al-Haram: Makkah, Saudi Arabia
This mosque is the largest mosque in the world and it is also the most sacred place for Muslims all around the world. It is built around Kaaba, a sacred and holy place for the Muslim community.
The two most important Islamic rituals ‘Hajj’ and ‘Umrah’ are also performed in this mosque. These are the most renowned and respected rituals of Islam. Millions of worshippers from around the world gather here every year to perform ‘Hajj’ and ‘Umrah’. The mosque has the capacity to accommodate more than 4 million worshippers during the Hajj season. The mosque is constructed on a huge area of 400,800 sq meters. This is the mosque which is also mentioned in the holy book of ‘The Quran’.
Summary
A mosque is a place of worship where Muslims take the name of Allah and worship their creator. Mosques are also a personification of Muslim glory and majesty. They also show the non-Muslim community how united are Muslims when they gather in the mosque to pray five times a day.
