Al Fateh Grand Mosque

Al-Fateh Grand Mosque

View of the Al-Fateh mosque.
Basic information
Location Manama,  Bahrain
Geographic coordinates 26°13′08″N 50°35′53″E / 26.21889°N 50.59806°ECoordinates: 26°13′08″N 50°35′53″E / 26.21889°N 50.59806°E
Affiliation Islam[1]
District Manama
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Mosque
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Architectural style Islamic
Direction of façade Southeast
Completed 1988
Specifications
Capacity 7,000
Length 100 m (330 ft)
Width 75 m (246 ft)
Dome(s) 4
Dome dia. (outer) 24 m (79 ft)
Minaret(s) 2
Materials Concrete, Fiberglass

The Al-Fateh Mosque (also known as Al-Fateh Islamic Center & Al Fateh Grand Mosque) (Arabic: مسجد الفاتح‎; transliterated: Masjid al-Fatih) is one of the largest mosques in the world, encompassing 6,500 square meters and having the capacity to accommodate over 7,000 worshippers at a time.[2] The mosque was built by the late Sheikh Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifa in 1987 and was named after Ahmed Al Fateh, the conqueror of Bahrain. In 2006, Al-Fateh became the site of the National Library of Bahrain.

Structure

The mosque is the largest place of worship in Bahrain. It is located next to the King Faisal Highway in Juffair, which is a town located in the capital city of Manama. The huge dome built on top of the Al-Fatih Mosque is constructed entirely of fiberglass. Weighing over 60 t (60,000 kg), the dome is currently the world's largest fiberglass dome. The marble used in the floors is Italian and the chandelier is from Austria. The doors are made of teak wood from India.[3] Throughout the mosque are calligraphy writings in a very old type of style called Kufic.

Library

The library of Ahmed Al-Fateh Islamic Center has around 7000 books, some as old as 100 years or more. These include copies of the books of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad or what is referred to as the books of Hadith, the Global Arabic Encyclopedia, the Encyclopedia of Islamic Jurisprudence, Al-Azhar journals which have been printed more than a hundred years ago, as well as numerous periodicals and magazines.[4]

Tourism

Besides being a place of worship, the mosque is one of the premier tourist attractions in Bahrain. It is open from 9am to 5pm and tours are conducted in a variety of languages including English, French, Filipino, and Russian. The mosque is closed to visitors and tourists on all Fridays and other holidays.

Gallery

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Al Fateh Grand Mosque.

References

  1. ↑ http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=229798
  2. ↑ Ahmed Al Fateh Mosque, Bahrain Tourism.
  3. ↑ "The Mosque - Ahmed Al Fateh Islamic Center". Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  4. ↑ "Ahmed Al Fateh Islamic Center". Retrieved 23 June 2012.

External links