Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
16th January 2015
I was away over the New Year seeing family across Asia and the Middle East. One of my favourite experiences of the trip was visiting the Grand Mosque in Oman. Finished in 2001, it serves as the main mosque in the country and is a spectacular example of modern islamic architecture.
The mosque was built as a gift to the nation from the current Sultan. It is one of the largest in the Gulf and during the day the entire site can house over 20,000 worshippers. You are free to wander around in the morning outside of prayer hours. During this time the sun dramatically shifts the light up and down the vast sandstone and marble courtyards.
The inside of the main prayer hall is breathtakingly rich in colour. The intricate chandlier above you is over 14 metres tall and the main prayer carpet you stand on is the second largest hand-woven carpet in the world. The scale and detail of the building took me completely by surprise. Exploring the Grand Mosque was very inspiring and it’s definitely one of the most beautifully designed spaces I’ve ever visited.
