The Most Beautiful Mosques Around The World

Mosques have long served as the seat of religious and cultural learning in Islam. With stunning design and architecture, there are several beautiful mosques around the world for which words just fall short.

With towering minarets surrounding the expansive carved domes with intricate works that cover walls, some of the world’s most beautiful mosques are also classic architectural works of art. Apart from their rich historical value, visitors from all over the globe flock to these religious sites for a glimpse of the exquisite detailing and intricacies that were handmade centuries ago.

Lets tour the most magnificent mosques around the world

Al-Aqsa Mosque, Old City of Jerusalem

Considered the third holiest site of Islamic pilgrimage, the Al-Aqsa Mosque is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is believed that Prophet Muhammad was transported here from the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca before ascending to heaven. The mosque has been rebuilt several times as it was impacted by earthquakes.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, started building the mosque in 1996. Seamlessly blending different schools of Islamic architecture, it features 82 domes, over 1,000 columns, 24-carat-gold gilded chandeliers and the largest hand-knotted carpet in the world. In fact, the main prayer hall is home to one of the world’s largest chandeliers.

The Pink Mosque

The Pink Mosque, Nasir al-Mulk Mosque is located in Iran’s old city of Shiraz. It was built during the Qajar period (1789-1925) by the order of Mirza Hassan Ali Khan Nasir al-Mulk.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Turkey

Officially known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Sultanahmet camii in Turkish, it popularly goes by the name of Blue Mosque. The grand ceiling of the mosque in Turkey shines gleefully because of the 20,000 hand-painted blue Iznik tiles that feature abstract art, flowers and trees.

Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Uzbekistan

The great mosque is an architectural beauty in the ancient city of Samarkand. Built between 1399 and 1404, the mosque is named after Mongol leader Timur’s wife. The construction began after Timur’s successful campaign in India.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Oman

Situated at the heart of Muscat, the mosque is a beautiful blend of rich artistic taste and open natural gardens. The largest in Oman, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque can accommodate nearly 20,000 worshippers at a time.

Jama Masjid, India

Designed by the maker of the Taj Mahal, the construction of the Jama Masjid in Delhi began in 1644 and became the final architectural extravagance of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The highly revered mosque has three massive gates, four towers and two 40 metre-high minarets constructed with strips of red sandstone and white marble.

This article was previously published on UAE Moments.To see the original article, click here