Iconic Mosques and the Enduring Legacy of Islamic Religious Architecture
The earliest mosques were modeled on the Prophet Muhammad's house in Medina, featuring an open sahn (courtyard), arcaded riwaq (porticos), and a covered prayer hall—often domed, known as the sahn al-salah or musalla. A vaulted niche in the wall, called the mihrab, indicates the qibla, the direction of Mecca toward which Muslims pray. The minbar (pulpit) traditionally has three steps; legend holds that the Prophet preached from the top step, while his successor Abu Bakr used the middle one.
Exquisite mosques grace cities worldwide, including Istanbul (Turkey), Esfahan (Iran), Islamabad (Pakistan), Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Xi'an (China), Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), Egypt, and Morocco's historic medinas. Among the most striking are the earthen mosques of the Sahara, such as Mali's UNESCO-listed Great Mosque of Djenné.
Explore some of Islam's most historically significant mosques below.
Dome of the Rock & Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem (Israel & Palestinian Territories)
The iconic golden dome crowns the Foundation Stone on the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif), believed to be the site of Solomon's Temple Holy of Holies and the Prophet Muhammad's ascent to heaven during the Isra and Mi'raj. The Crusaders briefly converted it to a church, but Saladin restored it to Muslim worship upon recapturing Jerusalem in 1187.
Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt
One of Egypt's oldest and most cherished mosques—featured on the five-pound note—this architectural gem was founded by Ahmad ibn Tulun, son of a Turkish slave who rose to govern Egypt. It's famed for its distinctive spiral minaret staircase.
Mezquita-Catedral, Córdoba, Spain
Commissioned as a mosque by Umayyad caliph Abd al-Rahman I using Christian labor, this site evolved into a cathedral. Its complex history includes workers freely practicing their faith on-site, with some reportedly converting to Islam amid the era's relative tolerance.
Seville Cathedral (Former Almohad Great Mosque), Seville, Spain
Originally a grand Almohad mosque, it now ranks among the world's largest cathedrals and a pinnacle of Gothic and Baroque design. Its Giralda bell tower—nearly 100 meters tall—was once a minaret with ramps allowing the muezzin to ride horseback to the top.
Masjid Agung of Demak, Indonesia
In Java's Demak Regency, this Great Mosque is among Southeast Asia's oldest. Its massive carved wooden doors, dubbed the 'Doors of Thunder' for their thunderbolt-like motifs including an open-mouthed beast, are legendary.
