Mosque Domes
Gigantic Mosque complex in Medina, Saudi Arabia,
Burial site of the Prophet Muhammad under the green dome, where in 1279 a wooden cupola was built over the tomb.
World’s largest (400K sqm) Mosque, Mecca, Saudi Arabia,
developed around the Kaaba, built by Abraham & Ishmael,
as the first house of worship on earth:
Birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad.
Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Jerusalem
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem,
covering the ‘Foundation stone’,
the place of ‘Sacrifice of Isaac’ by Abraham.
King Khalid Airport Mosque, Saudi Arabia
St. Petersburg Mosque, largest in EU
King Khalid Grand Mosque, Saudi Arabia
Kul Sharif Mosque, Kazan, Russia
Moscow Cathedral Mosque, Russia
Zahir Mosque, Malaysia
5 domes symbolize Islam’s 5 primary values.
‘Taj-ul Masajid’ Mosque, Bhopal, India,
means ‘Crown of mosques’,
typical Mughal architecture.
Crystal Mosque, Malaysia
crafted from steel and glass
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, contains
many Persian, Moorish, Arabic, and Mughal styles of architecture.
Al Rajhi Mosque, Hail, Saudi Arabia
Malacca Straits Mosque, Malaysia
Faisal Mosque ‘8-sided Bedouin tent’, Islamabad
Mosques and Madrasas in Africa
The design of Timbuktu’s mosques and madrasas is defined by the unique Sahelian style of architecture, which included pointed arches and ribbed vaults, utilizes sun-dried mud bricks and wood. Key design elements:
Materiality and climate control: Timbuktu’s mosques are constructed from adobe, a mixture of mud, clay, sand, and organic materials like straw and rice husks. This thick mud plaster acts as a natural insulator, keeping the interior cool in the hot climate.
Toron: The torons are wooden support beams that stick out from the mosque’s exterior walls. These beams serve as a built-in scaffolding system that allows masons to climb the walls for the annual re-plastering, a vital maintenance tradition that protects the structure from erosion.
Buttresses: The architecture incorporates thick, sloping buttresses that provide crucial support to the earthen walls. The conical minarets seen on some mosques were reportedly inspired by Egyptian pyramids.
Courtyards and prayer halls: Large, open courtyards provide an expansion space for worshippers during the summer months. The prayer halls are typically hypostyle: rows of columns supporting a flat, wooden roof.
Located in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, Masjid Misr Al Kabeer Mosque can host up to 131,000 worshippers and is hence the largest mosque in Africa. It has the largest pulpit, and the largest and heaviest chandelier.
The largest mosque in West Africa, Dakar’s Massalikoul Djinane, meaning “Paths to Paradise”.
Great Mosque, Xi’an, China (742-1384 AD):
Phoenix Pavilion
“Examining the Heart” Tower
The Dongguan Giant Mosque in Xining was originally constructed during the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Its latest renovation was done in 1998. The complex surrounds an ample courtyard and features a double set of minarets, the taller ones in typical Islamic style and the older turquoise pair topped by traditional Chinese upturned roofs.
