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Culture December 19, 2017

The Most Beautiful Mosques Around the World

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What: The Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Where: Abu Dhabi
Good-to-Know: Known locally as The Grand Mosque, it's characterized by its unique floral motifs and dome, which is the largest in the world (a height of 83 meters and an internal diameter of 32.8 meters).
What: Al-Azhar Mosque
Where: Cairo, Egypt
Good-to-Know:Though it was constructed over 1000 years ago, Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque is still one of the most prominent landmarks in the city.
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What: The Cologne Central Mosque
Where: Cologne, Germany
Good-to-Know:Comissioned by the DITIB, the Islamic center was built by Paul Bohm and features a prayer area, a market, as well as classrooms.
What: The Crystal Mosque of Malaysia
Where: Wan Man, Malaysia
Good-to-Know:Located at Islamic Heritage Park on the island of Wan Man, the Crystal Mosque of Malaysia is a jaw-dropping structure made of steel, glass, and crystal.
What: Hassan II Mosque
Where: Casablanca, Morocco
Good-to-Know: thE Hassan II Mosque or Grande Mosquee Hassan is the largest mosque in Morocco and Africa.
What: The Grand Mosque
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Good-to-Know: Situated in the heart of the city, Riyadh's grand mosque is surrounded by popular shops, making it a great tourist attraction.
What: The Great Mosque of Touba
Where: Touba, Senegal
Good-to-Know:One of the largest religious houses in Africa, accommodating more than 7,000 worshippers at one time.
What: Masjid-i Jahān-Numā
Where: Delhi, India
Good-to-Know:Commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, the centuries old mosque is one of the largest in India. The courtyard alone can accommodate more than 25,000 people.
What: The King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC)
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Good-to-Know: Housed inside the non-profit research center in Riyadh, the jaw-dropping mosque is characterized by stained glass windows.
What: Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque
Where: Famagusta, Northern Cyprus
Good-to-Know:Formerly known as the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, it's the largest medieval building in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
What: Masjid Selat Melaka
Where: Melaka, Malaysia
Good-to-Know: The Masjid Selat Melaka marries Middle Eastern with Malay architecture and craftsmanship. The Mosque is built stilts over a body of water, to create the illusion that its floating.
What: The Great Mosque of Muhammad Ali
Where: Cairo, Egypt
Good-to-Know: Also known as the Alabaster Mosque, the masjid is situated in the Citadel of Cairo in Egypt and was commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1830 and 1848.
What: The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque
Where: Shiraz, Iran
Good-to-Know:It's also known as the Pink Mosque, because of its rose-colored interior.
What: The Niujie Mosque
Where: Beijing, China
Good-to-Know: One of the oldest mosques in Northern China, the Nuuji Mosque was built in 996 according to the history of Gangshang.
What: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
Where: Muscat, Oman
Good-to-Know:Oman's Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat was commissioned by the Sultan of Oman, Sultan Qaboos in the early 1990s. It was designed by architect Mohammed Saleh Makiya in collaboration with Quad Design.
What: The Islamic Center of Rijeka
Where: Rijeka, Croatia
Good-to-Know:It was designed by the famous late sculptor Dušan Džamonja, in collaboration with architects Darko Vlahović and Branko Vučinović.
What:Sultan Ahmed Mosque (or the Blue Mosque)
Where: Istanbul, Turkey
Good-to-Know:Instantly recognizable by its 6 minarets and landmark location on the hill it shares with Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque serves as a major tourist attraction in the Turkish city.
What: The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
Where: Brunei, Borneo
Good-to-Know: Built on an artificial lagoon on the banks of the river, can serve as an artful attraction as well as a place of worship.
What: The Shrine of Ali
Where: Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
Good-to-Know: Established in 1910, the Shrine of Ali is one of Afghanistan's most prominent landmarks. Though it was destroyed during the invasion of Genghis Khan in around 1220, it was later rebuilt in the 15th century.
What: Kul-Sharif Mosque
Where: Kazan, Russia
Good-to-Know: It built in the 16th century before it was destroyed during the Siege of Kazan. It reopened its doors in 2005, with the help from several countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which contributed to the funding its reconstruction.
What: The Wazir Khan Mosque
Where: Lahore, Pakistan
Good-to-Know: The masjid is renowned for its intricate tile work (known as kashi-kari) and interior walls entirely adorned with highly detailed buon frescoe.
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With crowning domes, spiraling towers, and interiors entirely decorated with mosaics and Quranic scriptures, mosques are some of the most jaw-dropping structures one can visit. While some masjids are exclusive to Muslim worshippers, others allow visitors (dressed modestly) from all over the globe to tour the grand structures between the prayer times (such as the Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque and Istanbul’s Blue Mosque). From Casablanca to Brunei, here we round up the 21 of the most breath-taking mosques from around the world for your must-see list.

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