The Maldives is world famous for its clear turquoise waters, colourful coral reefs teeming with tropical fish and world class resorts, like the luxurious Kuramathi Island Resort for example, which is located close to the capital Malé. However, the island nation also has a rich cultural and religious history that runs back thousands of years, and the Islamic Centre, aside from being an architectural landmark in Malé, is a great place to view the country’s deep ties to Islam.
The Grand Friday Mosque is located within the Islamic Centre, and is closed for prayers during different times of the day, so do check what the best times to visit are with your resort. Maldives has many beautiful mosques, but the Grand Friday Mosque is one of the most celebrated, as the largest mosque in Maldives and one of the largest in South Asian, with the capacity for over 5000 worshipers.
Situated near the main jetty of Malé it’s hard to miss the exquisite architecture of the mosque, with the brilliant golden dome of the mosque dominates over the city’s skyline. Constructed in 1984 with help from several Gulf States and Islamic countries, the Grand Friday Mosque stands out among the other buildings with its plain white walls, built entirely out of white marble.
In stark contrast, the interior walls of the main hall are decorated with intricately carved wooden doors and panels, Arabic calligraphy, along with a woven carpet that was specially woven for the mosque and stunning chandeliers. The three-story, Islamic Centre serves as a conference hall, and contains a library and several offices which include the Ministry of Islamic-Affairs.
Large groups of casual sightseers are not generally welcomed, but if you are genuinely interested and appropriately dressed, this means long trousers for men and a long dress or skirt for women, then you may be welcomed and given a tour by a member of staff that are frequently found near the entrance.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+