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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 last 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, a comfortable temperature in the mosque is maintained by air conditioners located 7 km from the building itself.

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 world's largest handmade carpet. 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. Counts modern miracle Sveta. 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".

Cathedral Mosque in Astana - 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. How to assure Spiritual Administration Muslims of Kyrgyzstan, 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. Turkey 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.

A mosque is not just a building where adherents of Islam come to perform prayers or rituals. It is considered a place that plays a paramount role in the life of every Muslim. At the dawn of Islam, mosques were built only on the Arabian Peninsula. Then, as the religion gained popularity, they began to be built all over the planet.

Today there are many mosques. They differ from each other in size, exterior and interior. From the article we learn where the most beautiful mosques in the world, and which of them are the largest.

Masjid al-Haram (Reserved Mosque)

The largest mosque in the world is the Sacred or Forbidden Mosque. It was erected in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the administrative district of Mecca. The building is made in classical Islamic style. architectural style. The mosque was built by Rasul Ibrahim and his son Ismail.

Inside the Masjid al-Haram is one of the main relics of Islam - the Kaaba. Thousands of Muslims come to her every year to receive the blessings of Allah and undergo the ceremony of ablution.

Masjid al-Haram is a unique building that impresses not only with its beautiful view and rich interior design, but also with its size. The mosque can accommodate up to 900,000 worshipers, and during the Hajj, up to 4,000,000 million pilgrims are accommodated in the building and on the square adjacent to it.

Mosque of the Prophet

The official name of the building is "Masjid al-Nabawi", which means "Mosque of the Prophet" in Arabic. It was built in the period from 571 to 632 from the birth of Christ, just when the prophet Muhammad lived (hence, in fact, its name).

Masjid al-Nabawi is one of the largest mosques in Saudi Arabia (Al-Madina province). Its capacity is 600 thousand people. During the Hajj, about 1 million pilgrims are accommodated on its territory.

Interesting!

The main feature of the mosque is that Muhammad is buried inside it. It is the second most important relic of Islam.

It is located in Islamabad (Pakistan) and is considered one of the popular mosques, where thousands of Muslims from all over the world make pilgrimage every year. Made in a mixed architectural style. There are both classic forms and modern design.

The Faisal Mosque was built in 1986. The construction was led by the famous architect Vedat Dalokay. Inside the building there are no valuable relics for the Muslim community, but the popularity of the mosque is due to its size. The area of ​​the building is more than 5 thousand m2. 300,000 believers fit inside, and another 200,000 people in its courtyard.

Despite the fact that the Faisal Mosque is a new building, it has already been modified. The last time the interior and exterior was updated 10 years ago. For this, the authorities of Saudi Arabia have allocated more than 5 million Saudi riyals.

Interesting!

In Ufa (Republic of Bashkorstan) there is a beautiful Medina Mosque. It was built on donations from Muslims and can accommodate only 600 people.

Muslim pilgrimage center and cultural heritage of Morocco. Located in Casablanca and built in 1986. The terrace of the mosque overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, so worshipers often prefer to be outdoors rather than indoors.

The building is made in the classical Islamic style. It has arched vaults, a three-level roof and the highest minaret on the planet (over 200 m). Today great mosque Hassan II is the largest and most beautiful in all of Morocco.

One of the main attractions of Indonesia is the Independence Mosque or, as Muslims call it, Masjid Istiklal. It is located in the heart of Jakarta and is recognized as the largest Muslim religious building located in Southeast Asia.

The idea to build the Independence Mosque appeared in 1949. The reason for this was the proclamation of Indonesia as a sovereign state (separation from the Netherlands). The area of ​​the mosque with adjacent lands and buildings is 1000 acres. Capacity - over 120 thousand people.

The architecture of Istiklal is dominated by marble and stainless steel. By appearance it differs from classical mosques, but this gives it uniqueness and zest. It has two domes - a small one (10 m in diameter) and a large one (45 m in diameter). Minaret one. Its height is 96.6 m.

The Badshahi Mosque is the second largest but not the least important religious building in Pakistan. It is located in the city of Lahore and was built between 1673 and 1674. Inside the mosque there are many Islamic shrines and relics. The main ones are:

• Fatima's scarves;
• Turban of Muhammad;
• Hussein ibn Ali's handkerchief.

The building was built of sandstone by the decision of the padishah of the Great Mongol Empire Alamgir I. The architectural style of the mosque is Indo-Saracenic.

The capacity of the building is up to 60 thousand worshipers. It has 3 domes and 8 minarets. The height of the largest of them is 62 meters.

The main attraction of Yemen. Located in the beautiful and modern city of Sana'a. The initiator of the construction of the mosque, the head of Yemen is Ali Abdullah Saleh. That is why it is named after him.

Al Saleh is considered one of the most beautiful and largest in the world. The area of ​​the main prayer hall is more than 14 thousand m2. The premises of the mosque are decorated with gilding, sculptures and engravings, and the lamps are made of Bohemian glass. According to the estimate, the building cost the president $60 million.

Interesting!

Al-Saleh is the only mosque where non-Muslims are allowed. It is open to tourists and anyone can see and appreciate the beauty of the building.

Included in the TOP of the largest and most beautiful mosques in the UAE (in the city of Abu Dhabi). Refers to modern religious buildings. Its construction was completed in 2007. The area of ​​the mosque is 5.6 thousand square meters. m. It accommodates up to 40 thousand people.

The Sheikh Zayed Mosque has 82 domes. There are only 4 minarets. The highest is 107 meters.

Interesting!

The highlight of the mosque is that inside it is the largest carpet in the world. It is handcrafted and lines the floor in the central prayer hall.

The largest cathedral mosque in India (Delhi). Construction began in 1650 by order of the ruler Shah Jahan and ended 6 years later. The architectural style of the building is classical Islamic. All work on the creation of the plan and the construction of the Jami Masjid cost 1 million rupees.

Interesting!

Pope John Paul II tried to improve relations between the followers of Islam and Christians. His first step towards peace was visiting the Umayyad Mosque (Syria, Damascus).

Inside there are several relics and shrines of Islam. The main one is a hand-written copy of the Quran. The pages of the book are made from thin pieces of deerskin.

Another name for the mosque is Gol-Masjid. The building is located in Pakistan, in the city of Karachi. The unusually beautiful and modern structure, designed by Babar Hamid Chauhan and built under the direction of Zahir Naqvi in ​​1969, is very popular with local residents, Muslims from all over the world and tourists.

The mosque does not store relics and shrines. Its peculiarity is a large prayer hall with a capacity of 5 thousand people (the area nearby can accommodate 38 thousand worshipers), many mirrors on the walls (about 70 thousand) and onyx decoration.

The beautiful and largest festive mosque in China is located in the city of Kashgar (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region). The architect of Id Kah is the famous Muslim Saksiz Mirza.

The area of ​​the mosque is almost 17 thousand m2. Capacity - 20 thousand people. The construction of Id Kah began in 1442.

The highlight of the mosque is the large gate. They are made of yellow brick and have gizum inserts. Every tourist who comes to Kashgar, first of all, rushes to see the exterior of Id Kah and take a photo against its background.

The mosque is recognized as one of the largest and most beautiful not only in the Russian Federation, but throughout the CIS. Built in the Republic of Chechnya in the city of Grozny. The building is made in the Ottoman architectural style and has an area of ​​5000 m2. The decision to build the "Heart of Chechnya" was made by Akhmad Kadyrov, the first president and mufti of the republic. The construction of the mosque began in 2006 and ended in 2008.

The capacity of the building is 10,000 worshipers. It has 1 large dome and 4 small ones. There are four minarets at the Heart of Chechnya. Their height is 63 meters. Travertine marble was used in the construction process. Inside the mosque is decorated with gold and gilding.

The Sultanahmet Mosque or the Blue Mosque is the pride of Turkey. Located in Istanbul and built in 1616 by order of Ahmed I. The decision to build a large and beautiful building came to him after the defeat of the Ottoman Porte by Turkish troops. Thus, Ahmed I decided to propitiate Allah, but a year later he died of typhus. His remains are in the mausoleum next to the Blue Mosque.

The architectural style of the building is a mixture of Byzantine and classical Islamic. The mosque has 6 minarets and a large dome, the diameter of which is 23.5 meters. The main hall of Sultanahmet has dimensions of 53x51 meters. The height of the walls is 43 m. The capacity of the building and the territory adjacent to it is 10 thousand pilgrims.

The name of the mosque is translated from Arabic as the House of Victories. It is located in the suburbs of London (England) and was built in 2003 with money allocated by the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.

Baitul Futuh functions as the center of Islam, calling for loyalty, freedom and goodness. The mosque hosts religious events and ceremonies designed to show Europe and the whole world that the Islamic religion is not dangerous, as some believe.

The National Mosque of Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur. The completion date of Masjid Negara is 1965. The building consists of several large halls where worshipers from different parts of the world spend a lot of time. The largest of them can accommodate more than 8,000 people.

The religious complex includes a star-shaped dome, a minaret, whose height is 73 meters, and several buildings for clerics. The dome has 18 corners. It is believed that they symbolize the number of states in Malaysia and the 5 pillars of Islam.

Al-Fatih Cathedral Mosque is located in Manama (Bahrain), next to the residence of the country's king Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa. It belongs to the largest mosques in the world and can accommodate more than 7 thousand people.

The dome of the building is made of fiberglass sheets. The weight of its structure exceeds 60 tons. Inside the mosque is not only a prayer hall, but also the premises of the National Library of Bahrain. Previously, only Muslims had access there, but in 2006 it opened to everyone.

It is located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and is considered the third most important shrine of Islam. The place on which it is built is sacred to Muslims, because, according to legend, Muhammad made a night pilgrimage there, and then ascended to heaven.

Al-Aqsa was destroyed several times. She suffered the most during the capture of Jerusalem by the Crusaders. In different time periods it was a palace, christian church, the headquarters of the Knights Templar, but after Salah ad-Din came to power, she was returned the status of a Muslim mosque.

Today the building has been restored and expanded. It can accommodate 5 thousand people, has one dome and one minaret. The design of the mosque is dominated by gold, marble, lead and gilding.

Another name is the Muscat Cathedral Mosque. Located in the city of Muscat (Oman). The initiator of the construction of the building is Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said. This is the leader of Oman, popular among the people, who cares not only about the material well-being of the country, but also about the spiritual needs of Muslims.

The Sultan Qaboos Mosque is one of hundreds of religious buildings in Oman. It differs from them in its huge size, beautiful classical Islamic architecture and interior decoration. The walls of the building are covered with mosaics, there are 35 chandeliers in the central hall. The largest lighting fixture weighs 8 tons. It is designed for 1100 lamps.

Not just a mosque, but an architectural complex, the center of which was the tomb of Imam Reza, who died in 818 at the hands of the son of Harul al-Rashid (Arab caliph). The place of Reza's death is considered sacred today and is revered by both Sunnis and Shiites. Around the mausoleum of the imam, religious buildings gradually grew, which later merged into one architectural complex, called the mosque.

Today, only Muslims can visit the Mausoleum of Imam Reza in Mashhad (Iran), but a couple of times a year the mosque opens its doors to tourists and people with other religions.

Related video

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, and inside it 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. By Arabic 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 the 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 Deluge, and even the place where she 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 (Jabrail) 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 there one God. 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 towards 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. Holy place was 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 salary. 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. used different kinds fabrics. 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 washing ceremony of the Kaaba, and this happens only twice a year: two weeks before the start holy month Ramadan and for two weeks after 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 Khuzaites 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 - at 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 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

Mosque - sacred place for all Muslims, a place for prayers and spiritual purification. As Islam spread, beautiful mosques appear all over the world. They are amazing not only externally, but their interior is striking in its beauty. We offer an overview of the most fantastic mosques in the world.

Al-Haram Mosque (Reserved Mosque) is located in Mecca. This is the largest mosque in the world, surrounding one of the great shrines in Islam - the Kaaba. The area of ​​the building is 400,800 square meters, including indoor and outdoor prayer areas. It is designed to receive 4 million pilgrims during the Hajj. The modern mosque, after many reconstructions, is a pentagonal closed building with sides of different lengths and a flat roof. Three pairs of minarets rise in 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 9 minarets, the height of which reaches 95 m. Modern innovations are not forgotten either - there are 7 escalators and air conditioners.

Masjid an-Nabawi is the second shrine in Islam, which is also called the mosque of the prophet, because it was built by the prophet Muhammad. In size, it also ranks second after the al-Haram mosque. In the center of the mosque is the Green Dome, where the tomb of the prophet is located. The first dome over the grave was built in 1279, after which it was reconstructed many times, and in 1837 it was painted green, and it has remained so to this day. The layout of this particular mosque has been adopted as a canon for other mosques around the world. The main elements of the composition of the columned mosque were laid in the construction: an open rectangular courtyard and a prototype of the future columned hall, oriented initially to Jerusalem, and later to Mecca. The main prayer hall occupies the entire first floor. The mosque can accommodate up to 500 thousand believers. The mosque has 10 minarets, each 105 meters high.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a real masterpiece of architectural art, it is one of the largest mosques in the world. Approximately $545 million was spent on its construction and it took 12 years, during which 3500 workers from 38 companies of the world worked on the implementation of the grandiose project. 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 world's largest handmade carpet. The main prayer hall is illuminated by one of the most grandiose chandeliers in the world (10 meters in diameter, 15 meters in height, weight 12 tons). 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.

4. Great Mosque of Hassan II, Casablanca (Morocco)

The Great Mosque of Hassan II, built in 1993, is located in the Moroccan city of Casablanca. It is the largest mosque in the country and the seventh largest mosque in the world. Its minaret is the highest in the world - 210 meters, higher than the pyramid of Cheops. A laser is installed on top of the minaret, the light from which is directed to Mecca. The author of the project is the French architect Michel Pinseau. According to approximate estimates, 500-800 million dollars were spent on the construction. The building stands on a ledge washed by the Atlantic Ocean, through the glass floor you can see the seabed. The mosque is designed for a maximum of 105,000 parishioners praying together: 25,000 inside and 80,000 outside.

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is a royal mosque located in the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. It is considered the most beautiful mosque in the Pacific region, attracting thousands of tourists. Built in 1958 in an artificial lagoon on the banks of the Brunei River, the building is a prime example of modern Islamic architecture that combines Mughal and Italian styles. It is impossible to take your eyes off the 44-meter-high marble minarets and golden domes, huge courtyards and luxurious gardens with fountains. The mosque is surrounded by huge gardens, symbolizing paradise. The interior is no less luxurious than the exterior: floors and walls are made of the finest Italian marble, stained-glass windows and chandeliers were brought from Britain, luxurious carpets were woven in Saudi Arabia and Belgium, a fantastic mosaic of 3.5 million pieces was brought from Venice.

The Zahir Mosque is located in the capital of the Malaysian state of Kedah. This is one of the oldest and largest mosques in the country. Built back in 1912, it covers an area of ​​approximately 11,500 square meters. The mosque has 5 large domes, symbolizing the five basic principles of Islam. The area of ​​its central hall is 350 square meters, it is surrounded by verandas with mezzanines.

The Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is the largest mosque in Southeast and South Asia and the fourth largest mosque in the world. The author of the project is Turkish architect Vidat Dalokay, who instead of traditional domes created a structure resembling a Bedouin tent. He won the competition, which received 43 proposals from 17 countries. 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 stairs on the left side lead to the main courtyard and go to another large pond with fountains. Inside, the walls are covered in white marble and decorated with mosaics, calligraphy by Pakistani artist Sadeqain, and amazing Turkish-style chandeliers. The prayer hall can accommodate 10,000 believers. There is an additional hall for 24,000, another 40,000 can be accommodated in the courtyard.

The Tajul Mosque, whose name translates as "The Crown of Mosques", is located in the city of Bhopal in central India. This is one of the largest mosques in Asia. Construction began during the reign of the Mughal Khan Bahadur Shah Zafar, then continued under his daughter. But due to lack of funds, construction resumed only in 1971 and was completed in 1985. The eastern gate was reconstructed using ancient motifs from 1250 Syrian mosques with the help of the Kuwaiti emir, who so immortalized the memory of his wife. Inside the Taj-ul mosque is equipped with a large courtyard with a water tank in the center.

The Badshahi Mosque in the Pakistani city of Lahore was built in 1673. It is the second largest mosque in the country and South Asia and the fifth largest mosque in the world. It can accommodate 55,000 worshipers in the main hall and 95,000 in the courtyard. The main hall is divided into seven sections by ornamented arches supported by powerful columns, three of which bear double domes decorated on the outside with white marble. The interior of the main prayer hall is richly decorated with openwork ornaments, frescoes and marble. Externally, the mosque is decorated with carved stone, marble drawings on red sandstone.

The Sultan Hussein Mosque, built back in 1928, is still considered the main religious building in Singapore. Since the completion of construction, it has not changed much, only in 1960 and 1993 some reconstructions were carried out. The author of the project is the British architect Denis Sentry. The area of ​​the two-story mosque is 4100 square meters, it is designed for 5000 believers.
Religious buildings of any religion, symbolizing the faith and hope of people, always look majestic and luxurious. For their construction, the most best places, even if they are so distant. To come to God, it turns out that you need to apply not only spiritual, but also physical strength.

Petersburg Cathedral Mosque

The official opening of the mosque was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty in 1913.

The mosque is made in stylized forms of Samarkand and Cairo architectural schools. The walls of the mosque are faced with gray granite. The portal, dome and minarets are covered with sky-blue ceramics. The facade is decorated with inscriptions-sayings from the Koran above the main entrance to the mosque.

Maykop Cathedral Mosque

The mosque was built in 2000 and was built in just 18 months. The cathedral mosque has no analogues either in Adygea itself or in the Caucasus.

The mosque was built at the expense of the Crown Prince and Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates Khalid bin Saqr al-Qasimi. This building is calling card Adygea and the main Muslim religious center of the region.

Unlike most mosques, the Maykop mosque is open to tourists.

Mosque "Heart of Chechnya" in Grozny

The mosque was built in 2008 and named after Akhmat-Khadji Kadyrov.

The mosque was built in the classical Ottoman style. The central hall is covered with a huge dome with a diameter of 16 meters and a height of 32 meters. The height of the four minarets is 63 meters each. The outer and inner walls of the mosque are finished with marble - travertine, and the interior of the temple is richly decorated with white marble, which is mined on an island in the Sea of ​​​​Marmara. The mosque has 36 chandeliers. The creation of this collection took several tons of bronze, 2.5 kg of gold of the highest standard and more than 1 million details.

The area of ​​the mosque is 5,000 square meters, and the capacity is more than 10,000 people. The same number of believers can pray in the summer gallery and square adjacent to the main building. The total area of ​​the Islamic center is 14 hectares.

White Mosque in Bulgar

Bulgar - the ancient capital of the Volga Bulgaria, an ancient settlement near modern city Bulgarian in Tatarstan.

The mosque was opened in 2012, its construction took six months. The White Mosque in Bulgar is called the Tatarstan Taj Mahal, like it is reflected in the water surface of an artificial reservoir.

On the prayer square there is an arcade consisting of 88 columns. There is a small fountain in the center of the arcade. The two highest minarets of the white mosque reach a height of 46.6 meters. The head dome is 10 meters in diameter and 17 meters high. The mosque houses the largest Quran in the world. The holy book weighs 800 kilograms. It was loaded by 16 people.

Bulgar is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Lyalya-Tulpan in Ufa

The mosque was founded in 1989, initially the construction was carried out on donations from believers, later the government of Bashkiria joined the financing. The opening of the mosque took place on April 7, 1998 at.

You can read more about the Lyalya-Tulpan Cathedral Mosque in one of our previous articles.

Juma Mosque in Derbent

The Derbent Juma Mosque is the oldest mosque in Russia and the CIS, built in 733. The Juma Mosque is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage register.
Juma Mosque was the largest building in the city. Its dimensions in those days were considered impressive: 68 meters from west to east, and 28 meters from south to north. The height of the dome is 17 meters.

The interior space consists of three naves. The width of the middle nave is 6.3 meters, the side naves are 4 meters each, they are separated by square pillars with profiled capitals. Lancet arches are thrown between the pillars. Three plane trees grow on the territory of the mosque, aged 600, 800 and 950 years.

The Juma Mosque complex includes a madrasah building, which consists of a number of small rooms of the same size for students. In front of the entrance to each such room, loggias covered with lancet vaults are arranged, forming the facade of the madrasah in the form of an arcade made of hewn stone.

The Cathedral Mosque in Moscow is the most high mosque Russia

In September 2015, after 10 years of restoration, the Moscow Mosque was opened. The cathedral mosque is the largest in terms of area - 18.9 thousand square meters. The height of the dome is 46 meters, and the minarets rise 72 meters above the city. Capacity - 10,000 people.

In order to fit the mosque into the ensemble of temples, its domes were made of gold, and the elements of decor, painting and design were filled with the flavor of Russian Islam. For example, fine Arabic script made of gold leaf is combined with a traditional Tatar pattern. The main prayer hall is decorated with crystal chandeliers and Turkish carpets on the floor.

The cathedral mosque is a whole complex of six floors. Inside there are many halls, a library, a museum and an exhibition gallery. The building is equipped with elevators, air conditioning and TV cameras for live broadcasts.