Mosques are not only amazingly beautiful architectural monuments left by ancestors, they play an important religious, social and cultural role in the Muslim world.
12 millionov.com invites you to get acquainted with the ten largest mosques in the world, which amaze the imagination with their size and grandeur.
1. Al-Haram or the Forbidden Mosque
In the first place among the largest mosques in the world is the Forbidden Mosque, otherwise called Al-Haram. It is located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Here is stored the main value of the Muslim world - the Kaaba. According to legend, the first builders of this relic were heavenly angels. The mosque was first mentioned in 638. As for the modern temple, it has been known about it since 1570. Over the long centuries of its existence, the main mosque of the followers of Islam was repeatedly rebuilt to accommodate as many visitors as possible. Now the Forbidden Mosque can accommodate about 1 million people. If we take into account the territories adjacent to the temple, then the number of visitors to the mosque can reach more than 2 million people. The area of the religious complex is 357 thousand square meters. meters, but keep in mind that the mosque is constantly expanding.
2. Masjid al-Nabawi or Mosque of the Prophet
The second largest mosque in the world and its significance for believers is located in Medina. This is the mosque of the prophet, or Masjid al-Nabawi. It is generally accepted that the construction of the temple began in 622, and the Prophet Muhammad himself took part in it. He is buried under the Green Dome. In normal times, the mosque of the prophet accommodates about 600 thousand people. During the pilgrimage, it can accommodate up to 1 million believers. The area of the mosque occupies about 400 thousand square meters. meters.
3. Faisal Mosque
The Faisal Mosque, located in Islamabad, is one of the ten largest mosques in the world. Its construction was financed by the government of Saudi Arabia. The building of the mosque is located in a picturesque area. It is noteworthy that its design is very different from the traditional architecture of Muslim temples. Most of all, the shape of the building resembles a Bedouin nomad tent. The design of the mosque during its construction caused great dissatisfaction, but after the construction was completed, critics admitted that they were wrong. The Faisal Mosque accommodates approximately 300,000 people. The area of the mosque is 5 thousand square meters. meters.
4. Mosque of Independence or Istiklal
The largest Mosque of Independence or Istiklal is located in Indonesia in the city of Jakarta. When the country gained independence in 1949, it was decided to commemorate this great event with the construction of the largest religious building in Southeast Asia. The construction of the mosque began in 1961. The temple accommodates about 120 thousand visitors at the same time.
5. Hassan II Mosque
The Hassan II Mosque is located in the city of Casablanca. It impresses not only with its huge size, but also with its beauty - a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean opens directly from the huge glass hall of the temple. The mosque can accommodate 105 thousand people. The area of the temple is about 9 hectares.
An interesting fact: all 800 million dollars spent on the construction of the mosque are voluntary donations.
6. Mausoleum of Imam Reza
Among the 10 largest mosques in the world is also the architectural and religious complex of the mausoleum of Imam Reza. It is located in Iran, in the city of Mashhad. It includes the tomb of the Imam, as well as other tombs of revered religious figures of Islam, a mosque, a cemetery, a library and a museum. The mausoleum is Iran's main tourist attraction with up to 20 million visitors annually. When Imam Reza, who was very popular among the people, was killed in 818, he was buried next to the tomb of the great Harun ar-Rashid. Soon the city of Mashhad grew up around the tomb. The construction of the complex began in the 13th century, during the reign of the Timurid dynasty. The first mosque at the burial site of the imam was built in the 11th century, but it was soon destroyed. The area of the complex is about 331 thousand square meters. meters. The mausoleum accommodates 100 thousand people.
7. Badshahi Mosque
The Badshahi Mosque was built in the middle of the 17th century in the Pakistani city of Lahore by order of the last ruler of the Mughal dynasty. At the same time, up to 60 thousand people can be in the mosque.
8. Al Saleh Mosque
Al Saleh Mosque is located in Yemen. The official opening of the main attraction of the country took place in 2008. The construction of the mosque was financed by the President of Yemen. It cost the country a huge amount - 60 million dollars. The Al Saleh Mosque is a modern building that houses classrooms and several libraries. The main hall can accommodate up to 44,000 people.
9. Sheikh Zayed Mosque
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque (United Arab Emirates) is famous not only for its size, but also for its stunning beauty. It is one of the main decorations of the city of Abu Dhabi. At the same time, about 40 thousand people can be in it. The mosque impresses with its interior decoration: colored marble and semi-precious stones were used to decorate the buildings. In addition, the largest and most luxurious chandelier in the world is located here. The area of the mosque is 22 thousand square meters. meters.
10. Cathedral Mosque of Delhi
Our rating of the 10 largest mosques in the world is completed by the Delhi Cathedral Mosque, or Jami Masjid. The construction of the building began during the reign of Shah Jahan I, the padishah of the Mughal Empire. His name went down in history thanks to the construction of the magnificent mausoleum-mosque of the Taj Mahal by order of Jahan. The construction of the Cathedral Mosque was completed in 1656. At the same time, it can accommodate about 25 thousand people.
There are three main mosques in the Muslim world: Al Haram (Forbidden Mosque) in Mecca, Al Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet) in Medina and Al-Aqsa (Remote Mosque) in Jerusalem.
All these mosques are very important for Muslims, and each of them has its own specific meaning.
Al-Haram Mosque (Forbidden Mosque)
The Al-Haram Mosque is the main Muslim temple located in Saudi Arabia, in Mecca. The Kaaba is located in the courtyard of this mosque.
Al-Haram Mosque (Forbidden Mosque) during Hajj
The Kaaba is a shrine of Islam, which is a cubic-shaped stone structure in the courtyard, in the center of the Holy Mosque (al-Masjed al-Haram) in Mecca. This is the main sanctuary of Islam, which Muslims call al-Bait al-Haram, which means "sacred house". The very name "Kaaba" comes from the word "cube". The height of the building is 15 meters. Length and width - 10 and 12 meters respectively. The corners of the Kaaba are oriented to the cardinal points, and each of them has its own name: Yemeni (southern), Iraqi (northern), Levantine (western) and stone (eastern). The Kaaba is made of granite and covered with a cloth on top, and inside it there is a room where a door made of pure gold leads, which weighs 286 kilograms.
Almost three hundred kilograms of the purest gold were used to finish the door.
In the eastern corner of the Kaaba, at the level of one and a half meters, the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Eswad) is mounted, bordered by a silver rim. This is a hard stone of irregular oval shape, black in color with a scarlet tint. It has red spots and yellow wavy lines at the junctions of the broken parts. The diameter of the stone is about thirty centimeters. He, as Muslims are sure, was sent by Allah from heaven. The Black Stone is the most famous sacred meteorite, the nature of which is still unknown. The stone is very fragile, but it floats in water. After the Black Stone was stolen in 930, when it returned to Mecca, its authenticity was established precisely by its property not to sink in water. The Kaaba burned twice, and in 1626 it was flooded - as a result, the Black Stone split into 15 pieces. Now they are fastened with cement mortar and enclosed in a silver frame. The visible surface of the stone is 16 by 20 centimeters. It is believed that Allah sent the Black Stone to Adam and Eve as a sign of forgiveness.
Until now, seven fragments of the Stone are held in place by a large silver frame that goes around the corner of the Kaaba and hides most of it, leaving the pilgrims only a small hole for kisses and touches.
Governor of Mecca Prince Khaled Al-Faisal at the Black Stone during the traditional washing of the Kaaba
The Kaaba has a special meaning in Muslim rituals. In the direction of the Kaaba, Muslims around the world turn their faces during prayer. Around this building during the Hajj, believing Muslims perform a ceremony tawaf - ritual sevenfold circumambulation of the Kaaba counterclockwise. During this rite, worship is performed on the Iraqi and Yemeni corners of the Kaaba, in which pilgrims touch with their hands, kiss this building and pray near it. According to Muslim tradition, a stone is placed in the Kaaba, which God gave to Adam after the fall and expulsion from paradise, when the first person realized his sin and repented of it. Another legend tells that the stone is Adam's guardian angel, who was turned into stone for overlooking and allowing the fall of the first person entrusted to his protection. According to an Arab legend, after being expelled from paradise, Adam and Eve (Hava) were separated - Adam ended up in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), and Eve - not far from Mecca, on the shores of the Red Sea, in places where the port of Jeddah is now located. On the outskirts of this city, Khava's grave is allegedly still located. They met Adam only after two hundred years, and it happened in the Mecca region. After a long separation, they got to know each other on Mount Arafat, which is also sacred to the Arabs. Adam, however, even after meeting his wife, missed the temple where he prayed in paradise. Then God brought down a copy of that temple for him from heaven. According to legend, when the Black Stone was lowered from the sky, it was dazzling white and at the same time shone so that it could be seen for four days on the way to Mecca. But over time, from the touch of numerous sinners, the stone began to darken until it turned black. The time of construction of the Kaaba and its builders are unknown. According to legend, the Kaaba was built by the first man - Adam, but it was destroyed by the Flood, and even the place where it stood was forgotten. The shrine was restored by Patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim) with his son Ismail, the ancestor of the local peoples. Abraham built the Kaaba with the help of one miraculous device. It was a flat stone on which the forefather Abraham stood, and this stone could fly above the ground and rise to any height, performing the function of mobile scaffolding. It has survived, is located a few meters from the Kaaba and is called Maqam Ibrahim (Ibrahim's standing place) and, despite the fact that it has long lost its flying properties, is also a Muslim shrine. The footprint of Abraham-Ibrahim remained on it. A dome was erected over this stone over time. Archangel Gabriel (Jebrail) helped Ibrahim in the restoration of the Kaaba. From him, Ibrahim and Ismail learned that the temple they built is an exact copy of the temple in which Adam prayed. For the peoples and tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kaaba was traditionally a sacred building long before the rise of Islam. The Kaaba was the main sanctuary of the Hijaz, a historical region in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula. Arabs from ancient times believed that the Kaaba is the house of God, and made pilgrimages to it.
Thanks to this shrine, Mecca became famous - now it is the holy city of Islam, located seventy kilometers from the Red Sea coast, in a very arid and unsuitable for agriculture area. The only factor that made these places attractive for people to settle there is the source of fresh water - Zamzam. The location of Mecca on the trade routes of the region also turned out to be successful. The appearance of the source, according to local legend, happened miraculously - God created it for the sake of the patriarch Abraham (Ibrahim) and his son Ismail - the ancestor of the Arab tribes. It was considered one of the seven holy places by the Sabeans of Persia and Chaledonia. The rest of their shrines were considered: Mars - the top of the mountain in Isfahan; Mandusan in India; Hay Bahar in Balkh; Gamdan's house in Sana'a; Kausan in Fergana, Khorasan; House in Upper China. Many of the Sabaeans believed that the Kaaba was the House of Saturn, as it was the oldest known building in that era. The Persians also made a pilgrimage to the Kaaba, believing that the spirit of Tormoz dwells there. The Jews also respected this shrine. They worshiped the same God there. With no less reverence, Christians came to the Kaaba. However, over time, the Kaaba became an exclusively Muslim shrine. The idols revered by the pagans were destroyed in 630 by the prophet Muhammad, who was born in Mecca and, according to the Koran, was a descendant of the prophet Abraham (Ibrahim). He left only the images of the Virgin Mary and Jesus that were there. Their images were applied there not by chance: Christians lived in Mecca, and besides them - Jews, as well as Hanifs - righteous followers of faith in the one God, who were not part of any of the religious communities. The Prophet not only did not cancel the pilgrimage to the shrine, but he himself respectfully kissed the Kaaba with his staff. In the second year after the Hijra, or according to the calendar more familiar to us - in 623-624 AD, the prophet Muhammad established that Muslims should pray, turning towards the Kaaba. Until then, they had prayed with their faces turned toward Jerusalem. Muslim pilgrims flocked to the Kaaba to Mecca. They believe that the shrine is a prototype of the heavenly Kaaba, around which the angels also perform tawaf. The holy place was also destroyed in 930, when the Qarmatians, Shiite Ismaili sectarians from Bahrain, stole the Black Stone, which was returned to its place only 21 years later. After this incident, some doubts arose about its authenticity, but they were dispelled by an investigative experiment: the stone was thrown into the water and made sure that it did not sink. But the adventures of the Black Stone did not end there: in 1050, the caliph of Egypt sent his man to Mecca with the task of destroying the shrine. And then, twice, the Kaaba was engulfed by fire, and in 1626, by a flood. As a result of all these disasters, the stone broke into 15 pieces. In our time, they are fastened with cement and inserted into a silver setting. Reverence for the Kaaba is also expressed in wrapping the relic with a special veil - kisvoy. It is updated annually. Its upper part is decorated with sayings from the Koran embroidered with gold; 875 square meters of fabric are used to make a kiswa. The first to cover the Kaaba with canvases decorated with silver embroidery was the Tubba (King) of Yemen, Abu Bakr Asad. His successors continued this custom. Various types of fabrics were used. The tradition of covering the Kaaba has undergone significant changes: initially, before the pilgrimage to Mecca of the Abbasid caliph Al-Mahdi in 160 after the Hijra, the covers on the structure were simply put on each other. After the cover was worn out, a new one was put on top. However, the servants of the Forbidden Mosque expressed their fears to the ruler of the Caliphate that the building might simply not withstand the weight of the blankets piled one on top of the other. The caliph agreed with their opinion and ordered that the Kaaba be covered with no more than one cover at a time. Since then, this rule has been strictly observed. The inside of the building is also decorated with curtains. The family of Beni Sheibe is following all this order. The shrine is open to the public only during the Kaaba washing ceremony, and this happens only twice a year: two weeks before the holy month of Ramadan and two weeks after the Hajj. From the son of Abraham, Ismail, Kaaba was inherited by the southern Arab tribe of the Jurhumites, who enjoyed the support of the Babylonians. And in the 3rd century AD, they were supplanted by another southern Arab tribe, the Banu Khuzaa. Out of desperation, the Jurhumites, leaving Mecca, destroyed the Kaaba and covered up the source of Zamzam. The Khuzaits restored the Kaaba, and from the middle of the 3rd century BC, the Kaaba became the pantheon of the Arab tribes. The leader of the Khuzaites at that time was Amr ibn Luhey, who became the ruler of Mecca and the patron of the Kaaba. Contrary to the initial monotheism of Abraham-Ibrahim and his son Ismail, he placed idols in the Kaaba and encouraged people to worship them. The first idol he set up - Hubal - he brought from Syria. Quraysh - another Arab tribe that lived in the Mecca region and descended from Adnan, one of the descendants of Ismail, and his wife, the daughter of the leader of the Khuzaites, expelled the Khuzaites from Mecca and gained control of the city and the temple around 440-450. From this tribe came the prophet Mohammed, who glorified the Kaaba to the whole world. Before his preaching, the Kaaba was the center of numerous religious cults. In the center of the Kaaba stood the idol of Hubal - the deity of the Quraysh tribe. He was considered the lord of heaven, the lord of thunder and rain. Over time, another 360 idols of pagan gods, which were worshiped by the Arabs, were placed there. Near them sacrifices were made and fortune-telling was made. Quarrels and bloodshed were strictly forbidden at this place. It is interesting that among the characters of pagan cults there were images of Abraham (Ibrahim) and Ismail with prophetic arrows in their hands; Isa (Jesus) and Mariam with the baby (Virgin Mary). As you can see, everyone found in this place something close to their faith. Pilgrims came to Mecca regularly. Twice a year, a lot of people came to the local fair. The Kaaba was known and revered far beyond the Arabian Peninsula. She was honored by the Hindu, according to the beliefs of which the spirit of Siwa, the third person of Trimurti, accompanied by his wife during a visit to the Hijaz, entered the Black Stone.
The building itself has been rebuilt many times. For the first time - under the second righteous caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Khattab. During the Umayyad period, Caliph Abd al-Malik restored the building, expanded the boundaries of the Holy Mosque, he also installed arches decorated with mosaics, which were specially brought from Syria and Egypt. During the reign of the Abbasids, at the direction of Caliph Abu Jafar al-Mansur, the mosque was further expanded and a gallery was erected along its perimeter. The area around the Kaaba was also thoroughly rebuilt by the Ottoman Sultan Abd al-Majid. And in the recent past, in 1981, the space around the relic was reconstructed by the King of Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz. Now the territory of the Masjid al-Haram mosque with an area around the Kaaba is 193,000 square meters. At the same time, 130,000 Muslims can visit it. At the corners of the mosque there are 10 minarets, six of which (together with the superstructures in the form of a crescent) reach a height of 105 meters. What is the Black Stone embedded in the structure is still unknown. Some scientists consider it a very large meteorite. This opinion is disputed by a weighty argument that a stone cannot be an iron meteorite, based on its cracks, nor can it be a stone meteorite, since it cannot withstand movement and floats in water. Other researchers tend to see in the stone a large piece of unknown volcanic rock: rocky Arabia is rich in extinct volcanoes. It is known that this is not basalt or agate. However, the expressed opinion that the stone is not a meteorite is subjected to serious criticism. In 1980, researcher Elizabeth Thomsen suggested that the Black Stone has an impact nature - it is molten sand mixed with meteorite material. It comes from the Wabar crater, located 1800 kilometers from Mecca, in the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia. The stone from this crater is a frozen porous glass, it is quite hard and brittle, can float in water and has inclusions of white glass (crystals) and grains of sand (stripes). However, such a coherent theory has its weak point: the conclusion made by scientists based on the results of several measurements indicates the age of the crater, which is only a few centuries. The confusion comes from other measurements, suggesting that the crater is about 6,400 years old. There are actually three craters in Vabar. They are scattered over an area of about 500 by 1000 meters and have diameters of 116.64 and 11 meters. The Bedouin nomads call this place al-Hadida - iron objects. In an area of half a square kilometer, there are many fragments of black glass, white stones from sintered sand and iron pieces, partially covered with sand. The iron stones from the vicinity of the Vabar craters have a smooth surface covered with a black coating. The largest piece of iron and nickel found there by scientists weighs 2,200 kilograms and is called the Camel's Hump. It was discovered by a scientific expedition in 1965 and was later put on display at the Royal University of the Arabian capital Riyadh. The smooth cone-shaped stone appears to be a piece of a meteorite that fell to the ground and broke into several fragments. The holy book of Muslims - the Koran contains a story about the king of the city of Ubar named Aad. He mocked the prophet of Allah. For their wickedness, the city of Ubar and all its inhabitants were destroyed by a black cloud brought by a hurricane. The English researcher Harry Philby became interested in this story. The place most likely for the location of the lost city, he considered the Empty Quarter. However, instead of ruins - the works of human hands, he found fragments of a meteorite in that place. According to the traces left by this event, it was found that the energy released during the fall of the meteorite was equivalent to a nuclear explosion with a yield of about 12 kilotons, which is comparable to the explosion in Hiroshima. Other meteorites are known to have caused even more powerful impacts, but the case of Vabar has an important peculiarity. The meteorite fell into an open sandy place, dry and isolated enough that it is an ideal natural storage. There it was easy to find both the nomads of antiquity and modern scientists. The latter cannot yet give a definitive answer to the riddle of the Black Stone.
Al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet)
Al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet) is the second most important Muslim mosque (after the Forbidden Mosque), located in Saudi Arabia, in Medina. Under the Green Dome of the Al-Nabawi Mosque is the grave of the Prophet, the founder of Islam, Muhammad. The first two Muslim caliphs Abu Bakr and Umar are also buried in the mosque.
Al-Nabawi Mosque (Mosque of the Prophet) in Medina
Green Dome (Prophet's Dome)
Tomb of Prophet Muhammad. Next to it, the first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar, are buried, and on the other side there is another area that looks like an empty grave. Many Islamic scholars and Quran scholars believe that this grave site is reserved for the prophet Isa (Jesus), who will return to Earth to kill the Dajjal (Antichrist), and then rule the revived Caliphate for 40 years.
The first mosque on this site was built during the lifetime of Mohammed, who himself took part in the construction. The layout of this building has been adopted for other mosques around the world. When Muhammad was forty years old, the archangel Jabrail appeared to him and called him to serve. Muhammad began his sermons in Mecca, seeking to turn the Arabs away from pagan polytheism and convert them to the true faith. In 622, due to strong pressure from the religious leaders of Mecca, Muhammad was forced to flee to the city of Yathrib, located several hundred kilometers away. In Yathrib (which was later renamed Medina), he managed to organize the first Muslim community. A few years later, the Muslim movement grew so much that Muhammad was able to create a large army, which in 630 captured Mecca without a fight. Thus the first Muslim state was formed.
Al-Aqsa Mosque (Remote Mosque)
Al-Aqsa Mosque (Arabic: المسجد الاقصى - extreme mosque) is a Muslim temple in the Old City of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. It is the third holiest site in Islam after the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Islam associates Isra (the night journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem) and miraj (ascension) with this place. On the site of the al-Aqsa mosque, the Prophet Muhammad, as an imam, prayed with all the prophets sent before him.
Al-Aqsa Mosque (Remote Mosque) in Jerusalem
Founded in 636 by Caliph Omar on the site of a Jewish temple destroyed by the Romans, the Al-Aqsa Mosque was significantly expanded and rebuilt under Caliph Abd al-Malik in 693. Under Caliph Abd al-Malik, another mosque was built near Al-Aqsa, called Kubbat As-Sahra (Dome of the Rock). Nowadays, the Dome of the Rock Mosque is often confused with the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Qubbat As-Sahra Mosque (Dome of the Rock)
Often, the huge golden dome of the adjacent Qubbat al-Sakhra ("Dome of the Rock") mosque is confused with the more modest dome of the Al-Aqsa mosque, calling the said golden dome of Qubbat al-Sakhra the dome of the "Mosque of Omar". But it is Al-Aqsa that has its second name the name "Mosque of Omar" in honor of its founder Caliph Umar (Omar) and is the historical center of two mosques on the Temple Mount, and not the Kubbat as-Sakhra mosque, which, nevertheless, in architectural plan is the center of the complex.
temple platform
1. Protected mosque (Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca
4. Independence Mosque (Masjid Istiqlal) in Jakarta
The Indonesian Independence Mosque or Istiklal is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. In 1949, Indonesia gained independence, and in order to perpetuate this event, it was decided to build such a large religious building in the capital of the state. The construction of the mosque began in 1961. The temple accommodates about 120 thousand worshipers.
5. Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
Located in the largest Moroccan city of Casablanca, the Hassan II Mosque impresses not only with its huge size, but also with its beauty. Directly from the huge glass hall of the building offers a magnificent view of the Atlantic Ocean. Note that the mosque can accommodate 105 thousand people. The area of the temple is about 9 hectares. An interesting fact: all 800 million dollars spent on the construction of the mosque are voluntary donations.
6. Badshahi Mosque in Lahore
The Badshahi Mosque was built in the middle of the 17th century in the Pakistani city of Lahore by order of the last ruler of the Mughal dynasty. The mosque is built on a high platform that rises above the old city. The dimensions of the courtyard of the mosque are 159 × 527 m. The mosque has eight minarets: four at the corners of the prayer hall and the same number at the corners of the wall surrounding the mosque. The height of the outer minarets is 62 meters. The main entrance opens into a vast, brick-paved courtyard that can accommodate up to 60,000 worshippers.
7. Al Saleh Mosque in Sana'a
The Al Saleh Mosque is the main and largest mosque in the capital of Yemen - Sana'a. The temple was erected by order of the country's first president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, mostly with his personal money (about $60 million), and bears his name. The mosque is incredibly beautiful - six minarets visible from all over the city, each of which is 100 meters high, richly decorated domes, a combination of different types of stones, including black basalt and red, white and black limestone, windows decorated with stained glass windows. The official opening of the religious building took place in 2008. The mosque consists of a complex of buildings, the largest of which, for prayers, occupies more than 27 thousand square meters. meters. The main hall can accommodate up to 44,000 worshipers.
8. Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is famous not only for its size, but also for its stunning beauty. It is one of the main decorations of the capital of the United Arab Emirates - the city of Abu Dhabi. The mosque impresses with its interior decoration: colored marble and semi-precious stones were used to decorate the buildings. In addition, the largest and most luxurious chandelier in the world is located here. Square
One of the testaments of the Prophet Muhammad says: "Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build a similar one in Paradise for him." Therefore, the construction of mosques is considered a pious deed. And in recent years, the trend is only gaining momentum. Countries seem to be competing for the right to be considered the location of the most beautiful, most famous, most structures for Muslim prayers. "WB" decided to make a selection of the largest mosques in the world.
Al-Haram Mosque or Forbidden Mosque
The largest mosque in the world is the al-Haram mosque in Mecca. It surrounds one of the main shrines in Islam - the Kaaba. During the Hajj, pilgrims gather around the Kaaba and perform the rite of worship. Faithful Muslims around the world turn to the Kaaba while reading prayers, wherever they are.
The first mosque on this site was built in 638. In 2007, King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia began its large-scale reconstruction, which was completed two years ago. Now the area of the building is 400 thousand 800 square meters, including indoor and outdoor places for prayer. It is designed for 4 million pilgrims. Now the mosque is a pentagonal building with sides of different lengths and a flat roof. Three pairs of minarets rise at three corners of the structure, marking the entrances to the mosque. The fourth and fifth corners are connected by a covered gallery. In total, the mosque has nine minarets, the height of which reaches 95 meters. In the shrine there was a place for modern innovations - there are seven escalators, air conditioners are installed.
Mosque of the Prophet Masjid an-Nabawi
Mosque of the Prophet Masjid al-Nabawi, or simply the Mosque of the Prophet. It is located in Medina (Saudi Arabia). It is believed that the Prophet Muhammad himself built it in 622 AD. e.
Initially, the mosque looked like an open terrace covered with palm leaves, and in the middle there was an elevation for reading the Koran.
Now in the center of the Prophet's mosque there is a very small, but very interesting place called the Garden of Eden - from the podium of the Prophet to his grave. Pilgrims always try to visit this place - after all, according to legend, it is part of heaven on earth. The Prophet's Mosque is rightfully considered a unique masterpiece in the history of architecture. But here, too, there is room for innovation. For example, air conditioners located 7 km from the building itself maintain a comfortable temperature in the mosque.
This mosque is a unique architectural structure in its luxurious beauty and grandeur, not without reason its other name is the Grandiose Mosque. The idea of such a grandiose Islamic structure arose on the initiative of Sheikh Zayed in the late 80s of the last century. It took 10 years to develop a unique project, and another 10 years were spent on translating the idea into reality. More than 600 million euros were spent on the construction. The official grand opening of this beautiful architectural structure took place in 2007. It can accommodate up to 41,000 worshipers. The mosque is decorated with 82 domes, a thousand columns, chandeliers gilded with gold leaf, and the largest handmade carpet in the world. The main prayer hall is illuminated by one of the most grandiose chandeliers in the world. The sparkling pools surrounding the mosque enhance its beauty. During the day, the building gleams white and gold in the sun, while at night it is flooded with artificial light.
Faisal Mosque in Islamabad
The largest mosque in Southeast and South Asia and the fourth largest mosque in the world. Construction of the mosque began in 1976 by the National Construction Organization of Pakistan. It was funded by the government of Saudi Arabia. The cost of the project was approximately $120 million. King Faisal ibn Abdulaziz al-Saud contributed to the financing of the construction of the temple, so both the mosque and the road leading to it were named after him. The author of the project created a structure that resembles a Bedouin tent instead of traditional domes. Minarets 90 meters high were built on four sides of the main hall. At the entrance to the mosque there is a small courtyard with a small round pond and fountains. The walls of this mosque are covered with white marble and decorated with mosaics, calligraphy and amazing Turkish style chandeliers. The prayer hall can accommodate 10,000 believers. There is an additional hall for 24 thousand, another 40 thousand can be accommodated in the courtyard.
Blue Mosque or Sultanahmet Mosque
One of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul. Considered a modern wonder of the world. The mosque has six minarets: four, as usual, on the sides, and two slightly less high - on the outer corners. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Islamic and world architecture. The construction of the mosque began in 1609 and was completed in 1616. The mosque can accommodate up to 10 thousand people.
Mosque Jama Masjid.
The temple was built in 1650-1656 during the time of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who also initiated the construction of the famous Taj Mahal. The name "Jama" comes from the word "Jammah" - this is the name of the weekly service, which is held at noon every Friday. Jama Masjid has an impressive size and can accommodate 25 thousand people. It is a complex of the main building and the high wall surrounding the courtyard. The overall dimensions are 8,058 meters by 549 meters. The courtyard can be accessed through one of the three gates - South, North and East, each gate leads to a large staircase, and each has a different number of steps, the longest consists of 774 steps and leads to the North Gate. The central building has a square shape and is built on a peculiar platform 1.5 meters high. On its roof are eight domes, decorated with white and purple marble stripes. Two three-level minarets of the mosque have a height of 41 meters and are built of white marble and red sandstone. Each of them has a staircase of 130 steps.
Mosque "Heart of Chechnya"
The mosque named after the first president of Chechnya Akhmat Kadyrov, which is also called the Heart of Chechnya, was built in the center of Grozny. In the ranking of the largest mosques in the world, it is in 16th place. The temple was built in the classical Ottoman style. The central hall of the mosque is covered with a huge dome with a diameter of 16 meters and a height of 32 meters. The height of four minarets is 63 meters each - they are considered one of the highest minarets in Russia. The area of the mosque is 5 thousand square meters, and the capacity is more than 10 thousand people. The same number of believers can pray in the summer gallery and square adjacent to the mosque. This mosque was painted by masters from Turkey. The building of the temple has an increased seismic resistance. Several fountains have been installed on the adjacent territory, places for recreation and alleys have been laid out. The height of the prayer niche in the wall of the mosque is 8 meters high and 4.6 meters wide. It is worth noting that it is turned towards Mecca, indicating the direction to the believers during prayer.
Mosque of Turkmenbashi Rukhy
The main mosque of Turkmenistan, Turkmenbashi Rukhy, was built in the homeland of Saparmurat Niyazov, the first president of Turkmenistan. It is located in the village of Kipchak, which is 15 km from Ashgabat. The giant mosque strikes the imagination, impresses with its beauty and grandeur, but leaves a strange impression of depression from what he saw. This huge building, completely lined with white marble, was built by specially invited French architects and builders and cost the state treasury $100 million. The mosque covers an area of 18 thousand square meters. m., the height of the ceilings reaches 55 meters, and the height of its four separate minarets is 80 meters. Seven thousand men and three thousand women can pray there at the same time. There are eight more entrances in the building, in front of each of which there are arched gates and cascades of fountains. The mosque provides floor heating, which is made in the form of an eight-pointed star and covered with a carpet of 215 square meters. On the territory of the mosque there are special rooms for ablutions and ritual events for 5 thousand people. An underground car park for 100 buses and 400 cars has been built near the mosque. The walls of the mosque are decorated not only with sayings from the Koran, but also with quotations from Saparmurat Niyazov's book "Rukhnama".
The cathedral mosque in Astana is the largest in Central Asia. At the suggestion of the President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, the mosque was named "Khazret Sultan", which means "Holy Sultan". It is surrounded by four minarets, each 77 meters high. One of the architectural advantages of the new mosque is also 10 domes. The building itself was built in a classical Islamic style with traditional Kazakh ornaments. It can accommodate up to 10 thousand people. The cost of building the temple is $6 million 840 thousand. This money was allocated by the Emir of the State of Qatar.
At the moment, the largest mosque is being built in the capital of Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek. As the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan assures, the new central mosque will be completed in one and a half to two years. The site for its construction was allocated back in 2009, it occupies 3.5 hectares. It was previously planned that construction would be completed by 2012, but only the frame work has been completed at this time. Türkiye allocates money. According to preliminary data, $10 million was spent on the work carried out. The height of the minarets will reach 60 meters, the mosque will be decorated with stones, marble, and the decor will be done in the Turkish style. It is designed for 10 thousand people.
Mosque- an architectural structure that serves for adherents of the Islamic faith as a place for prayer and worship. Unlike Christian churches, the mosque does not have the status of a holy place, with the exception of the “Masjid al-Haram” in Mecca, in the courtyard, which houses the ancient Muslim shrine “Kaaba”. Below is a list with photos of the ten most beautiful and one of the largest mosques in the world.
Kul-Sharif is a mosque located in the city of Kazan (Tatarstan, Russia) in the western part of the Kazan Kremlin. It is one of the main Muslim temples of Tatarstan and one of the highest mosques in Europe (the height of each minaret is 57 meters). Its construction, the cost of which is estimated at 400 million rubles, was started in 1996, and the opening took place on June 24, 2005 on the 1000th anniversary of the city. The inner space of the temple is designed for one and a half thousand believers, another 10,000 can be accommodated in the square in front of the temple.
The Sabanci Mosque is the largest mosque in Turkey, located in the city of Adana, on the banks of the Seyhan River. Despite its large size, it was built in less than a year in 1998. The closed area of the mosque is 6,600 square meters, the area of the adjacent territory is 52,600 square meters. It has six minarets, four of which are 99 meters high, the other two are 75 meters high. The temple is designed for 28,500 people.
The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, located in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei, is considered one of the most beautiful mosques in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the main attraction of Brunei. It was built in 1958 and is an example of modern Islamic architecture. The mosque reaches a height of 52 m, it can be seen from almost anywhere in the city.
Seventh place on the list is Faisal - the largest mosque in Pakistan, located in the city of Islamabad. Its $120 million construction began in 1976 and was completed in 1986. Faisal covers an area of 5,000 square meters and can accommodate 300,000 worshipers. The height of the minarets is 90 meters.
In sixth place in the ranking of the most beautiful mosques in the world is the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. It was built between 1996-2007. It covers an area of more than 12 hectares and can simultaneously accommodate 40,000 believers. The main prayer hall has a capacity of 7,000 people. The mosque has four minarets, which rise to 107 meters.
Fifth place in the list of the most beautiful mosques in the world is Tengku Tengah Zaharah or "Floating Mosque". It is located 4 km from the city of Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. Its construction began in 1993 and was completed in 1995. The official opening took place in July 1995. The temple covers an area of about 5 hectares and can simultaneously accommodate up to 2,000 visitors.
Mesquite
Mesquita - a mosque, partially rebuilt into a cathedral. Located in the city of Cordoba, Spain. It was built by Emir Abdarrahman I on the site of the Visigothic church of Vincent of Saragossa in 784. Later it became a mosque. It is the most significant monument of the Umayyad dynasty, made in the Moorish architectural style.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is a Muslim temple located in the Old City of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. It is the third most significant shrine of Islam after the al-Haram mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. It covers an area of 144,000 square meters, although the mosque itself is located on an area of 35,000 square meters. Up to 5,000 believers can pray in it at the same time.
Masjid an-Nabawi is a mosque located in the city of Medina, Saudi Arabia. The first small mosque on this site was built during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, but subsequent Islamic rulers constantly expanded the shrine, turning it into one of the largest. Under the Green Dome (the Dome of the Prophet) is the grave of Muhammad. The exact date of the construction of the dome is unknown, but its description can be found in manuscripts dating from the beginning of the 12th century.
Al-Haram Mosque
Al-Haram Mosque is the most beautiful, largest and most revered mosque located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The temple covers an area of 356,800 square meters and can accommodate up to 4 million people during the Hajj. The existing mosque has been known since 1570, but little remains of the original building, since it was rebuilt several times during its existence.
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