Faisal Mosque – The Best Combination of Traditional and Modern Islamic Architecture

The magnificent Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, once regarded as the largest mosque in the world, is a sight to behold. One of Pakistan’s top tourist destinations, the majestic tent-shaped monument attracts thousands of tourists from around the globe. It is located against the lush green Margalla Hills.

The mosque is one of the most visited monuments in the whole country thanks to its picture-perfect landscape, breathtaking design, and excellent interior finishing. Faisal Mosque is the ideal fusion of classic and modern Islamic architecture due to its angular main structure, tall minarets, well-kept courtyards, and pools with fountains.

This mosque, which is also known as Faisal Masjid or Shah Faisal Mosque, was a gift from the late Saudi King Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz. His dedication to the creation of this stunning beauty in the federal capital led to the naming of the mosque in his honor. Furthermore, a Turkish architect designed the Faisal Mosque.

History of Faisal Mosque

The late King Faisal visited Pakistan in 1966 and expressed interest in constructing a mosque in the green metropolis of Islamabad. This is when the renowned building’s history began. An international competition was organized to select the mosque’s design over three years later, in 1969. 43 different designs were submitted by architects from about 17 various countries for the building of what would eventually become Pakistan’s national mosque. In the end, Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay emerged victorious, and the mosque’s stunning but unusual design was approved.

The project was then given roughly 46 acres of land by the Pakistani government close to Margalla Hills National Park. Under Azim Khan’s direction, the National Construction Limited of Pakistan was tasked with building the mosque. Over 130 million Saudi riyals were spent on the project’s entire cost, which was covered by the Saudi government.

In 1986, the Faisal Mosque’s construction was officially finished. But on June 18, 1988, the first prayer was offered on the grounds. The mosque has been accessible to the public ever since.

Location of Faisal Mosque

The magnificent Faisal Mosque is situated at Sector E-8 Shah Faisal Avenue in Islamabad.

The Faisal Mosque was carefully built on an elevation plot of ground at the base of Margalla Hills, which is one of its most intriguing features. As a result, it is easily seen from many various locations throughout the city, including Daman-e-Koh, one of Islamabad’s most well-known picnic areas. However, going there is undoubtedly the finest way to see Faisal Mosque.

Why is Faisal Masjid Famous

The Faisal Mosque stands apart from almost every other mosque in the world thanks to its remarkable architecture. The Arab tents erected in the middle of the desert served as the model for the historic site’s distinctive triangle shape. However, the mosque’s lack of a conventional dome is its most notable feature.

Faisal Mosque features an eight-sided concrete shell with a tent-like structure with sharp angles in place of the typical style of a spherical dome encircled by minarets. The symmetrical minarets that round the main building are each 259 feet tall and 10 meters in diameter. The entire Faisal Mosque is covered with white marble.

About 40 meters high, the main prayer hall’s towering ceiling is embellished with a large Turkish chandelier that is encircled by smaller ones. Additionally, the walls display the magnificent calligraphy of well-known Pakistani artist Sadequain. In the main hall, there is also a magnificent sculpture of the Holy Quran.

The landscape surrounding the main building is very stunning. The Faisal Mosque’s grounds include well-kept lush green gardens, porticoes, and fountains. A small circular pond at the mosque’s entrance connects to a larger pond and the main prayer hall’s stairs.