Incredible And Unique Mosques You Have Probably Never Even Heard Of

(Source: shughal)

Mosques hold a special significance to Muslims, which goes beyond the normal essence of societies in general. They are undoubtedly the center of a Muslim’s life. More than just being places of prayer, mosques are places of coming together, learning and growing.

Most of us are familiar with the biggest and grandest mosques in the world, from the Masjid-e-Nabvi to the Grand Mosque and even Badshahi Masjid here in Pakistan. In fact we ourselves have covered them before. But there are some amazing, relatively unknown mosques that most of us don’t know about. Here are a few such mosques, the marvel of Islamic architecture never ceases to amaze.
 

Cologne Central Mosque, Germany

The Cologne Central Mosque is currently under construction. This futuristic design blends in well with the rest of Cologne’s modern infrastructure. The mosque has a modern Ottoman look, with a glass ceiling and walls.


Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque, North Cyprus

The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque was originally the Saint Nicolas Cathedral. It was converted during the Ottoman’s reign in 1571. Although a mosque, it still retains elements of its Gothic architectural beginnings which have been preserved till now.


 

Emin Mosque, China

1779, Qing Dynasty, the mosque was built by King Sulieman. Showing off exquisite mud based architecture, the mosque has the tallest minaret in all of China at 44m. Emin mosque has been closed to the public as well as prayers since 1992 when it was placed under protection by the Chinese government.


 

Zagreb Mosque, Croatia

The Zagreb Mosque in Croatia is the largest of the Country. Built in 1987, the wonderful structure was the brainchild of one Dr. Ahmed Smajlovic.


Great Mosque of Touba, Senegal

Built by Sheikh Ahmadu Bàmba Mbàkke, the founder of the Sufi Mouride in 1926, the mosque is central to the Islamic City of Touba. It was built during the French colonization of Senegal and was a stand-out achievement for Muslims in that era.


Great Mosque of Xian, China

The great mosque was built in 742 AD during the Tang Dynasty. What makes the mosque so unique is that although it is Muslim architecture, the mosque looks like a Chinese Temple. The 12,000 sqm large mosque also houses an ancient hand-written Quran from the 1700s.


Banya Bashi Mosque, Bulgaria

The mosque was built in 1576 during the rule of the Ottomans. The mosque gets its name Banya Bashi which literally means many baths from the fact that it was built over natural thermal spas. One can see steam rising from vents near the mosque.


Koutubia Mosque, Morocco

Dating as far back as 1150, the mosque can hold upto 25,000 people in its halls. The tall minaret tower is capped with copper orbs, which were originally gold but later replaced. The mosque was built by Emir Yacoub-el-Mansoor and is surrounded by markets selling books and ancient scripts.


Islamic Center and Mosque of Rijecka, Croatia

It is one of the most beautiful mosques in all of Europe. Officially opened in 2013, the mosque’s dome is shaped in five separate sections. The rich architectural influences of the Ottomans is quite visible. It’s like an ulta-modern version of an ancient design.

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