Faisal Mosque

Faisal Mosque
فیصل مسجد
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Branch/tradition	Sunni Islam
Location
Location	Islamabad, Pakistan
Location in Pakistan
Coordinates	33°43′48″N 73°02′18″E
Architecture
Architect	Vedat Dalokay
Type	Mosque
Style	Contemporary Islamic
Established	1987
Construction cost	120 million USD
Specifications
Capacity	10,000 (in hall) 24,000 (in porticoes) 40,000 (in courtyard)
Minaret	4
Minaret height	90 m (300 ft)

Faisal Mosque stands as Pakistan's national mosque, situated in Islamabad, the nation's capital. Perched at the foothills of the Margalla Hills, it ranks as the |sixth-largest mosque globally and bears the name of the late Saudi Arabian King Faisal (r. 1964-75). The mosque's contemporary design, created by Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, features eight-sided concrete shell structures inspired by traditional Bedouin tent architecture.

Recognised as a major tourist attraction and influential piece of Islamic architecture, the Faisal Mosque is celebrated as a masterpiece of modern Islamic design. Its cultural significance is complemented by nearby landmarks like the Pakistan Monument, which showcases the country's heritage, enhancing Islamabad's appeal to visitors.

Construction commenced in 1976 following an 2.8 crore grant from King Faisal, whose name memorialises the mosque. After Dalokay's unconventional design was selected through international competition, the mosque emerged without a traditional dome, instead featuring a Bedouin tent-like form surrounded by four towering 90-meter minarets. The distinctive eight-sided sloping roofs create a triangular worship hall accommodating 10,000 Muslims.

The expansive structure spans 1,30,000 square meters (33 acres), dominating Islamabad's landscape. Located at the northern terminus of Faisal Avenue, it sits at the city's northern edge against the scenic backdrop of Margalla Hills in the Himalayan foothills. The Faisal Mosque held the distinction of being the world's largest mosque from 1986 until 1993, when surpassed by Saudi Arabian mosques.

Gallery

• 
  Faisal Mosque at night
• 
  Faisal Mosque in March 1986 to 2006
• 
  Night view of the Faisal Mosque and surrounding area
• 
  Interior of the mosque.

Other websites

• Click here to see a highly detailed 3D Model of Faisal Masjid in Google Earth.
• Faisal Mosque - ArchNet Digital Library Archived 2005-12-01 at the Wayback Machine
• Faisal Mosque - World is Round Archived 2008-01-18 at the Wayback Machine