Bahrain Grand Mosque - AL FATEH - Islam Muslim - Amazing Building
The Al-Fateh Mosque (also known as Al-Fateh Islamic Center & Al Fateh Grand Mosque) (Arabic: مسجد الفاتح‎; transliterated: Masjid al-Fatih) is one of the largest mosques in the world, encompassing 6,500 square meters and having the capacity to accommodate over 7,000 worshippers at a time. The mosque was built by the late Sheikh Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifa in 1987 and was named after Ahmed Al Fateh, the founder of Bahrain. In 2006, Al-Fateh became the site of the National Library of Bahrain. The mosque is the largest place of worship in Bahrain. It is located next to the King Faisal Highway in Juffair, which is a town located in the capital city of Manama. The huge dome built on top of the Al-Fateh Mosque is constructed entirely of fibreglass. Weighing over 60 Megagrams (tonne), the dome is currently the world's largest fibreglass dome. The marble used in the floors is Italian and the chandelier is from Austria. The doors are made of teak wood from India. Throughout the mosque are calligraphy writings in a very old type of style called Kufic. The library of Ahmed Al-Fateh Islamic Center has around 7,000 books, some as old as 100 years or more. These include copies of the books ofthe premier tourist attractions in Bahrain. It is open from 9am to 4pm and tours are conducted in a variety of languages including English, French, Filipino, Russian and many other languages, special arrangements are encouraged for smooth sailing. The mosque is closed to visitors and tourists on all Fridays. The Al Fateh Mosque is Bahrain’s largest mosque. The huge domed building hosts the National Library. The mosque was built in the 1990s. By contrast, the Khamis Mosque is considered one of the earliest Islamic relics in the region. The foundations are believed to date back as early as 692 AD. The mosque was built with marble from Italy, glass from Austria and teak from India, carved by local Bahraini craftspeople, and has some fine examples of interior design. The dedicated guides lead visitors through the mosque, explaining aspects of religious etiquette while pointing out special features of mosque architecture. A mosque (/mɒsk/; from Arabic: مسجد‎, translit. masjid) is a place of worship for followers of Islam.