Dramatic architecture of a spectacular mosque

Qatar’s State Mosque, also known as Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, is an amalgamation of contemporary design and traditional architecture. It is one of the largest mosques in Qatar which is enormous and spacious. The mosque is built on a large hill and is visible from a long distance. At night, the whole mosque is lit up in a grandeur manner and the view is breath-taking. The mosque is made up of three levels- basement, ground floor and mezzanine. There are 93 domes on the mosque, 65 make the outer quadrangle and 28 make the central hall. The mosque has 20 entrances - three main and 17 on the sides. The doors are engraved with Islamic geometric patterns. The centre of the Mosque has a large courtyard area. The facade has many elegant arches which is made up of sand stone. The interior is decorated with large beautiful chandeliers. Due to the tiled floors the building projects reflection, which adds to the grandeur of the mosque. It is a great place for worshippers, but keen photographers will find solace in capturing the brilliance of its architecture through their lens as well. — Text by Keerthana Kandaraja @through.my.kitchen, photos Santhiya Kandaraja