The medieval Jama Masjid Mosque in Delhi and the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz and the Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, the finest example of all, Al Masjid an Nabawi Mosque in Medina, and the masterpiece of Ottoman architecture, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, – these all are architectural marvels of global value. The world is full of Islamic architecture landmarks erected by distant ancestors, striking modern tourists and pilgrims with their beauty and grandeur. However, not only the great architects of the past created beautiful structures but also the talented masters of our time. The latter impress no less with their masterpieces: the white-stone Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the United Arab Emirates, the golden-domed mosque of Sultan Omar in Brunei, and, of course, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Oman, the shrine of the Oman capital Muscat and the third largest mosque in the world.

Everyone can visit the Grand Mosque regardless of their religion. Still, you should treat the religion of the locals with due respect: visit the mosque in covered clothes and behave worthy of the sacred place. A true gem of the Muslim world, a masterpiece of modern Arab architecture with an area of 416,000 square meters, it can accommodate up to 20,000 believers.

The mosque walls are covered with two types of marble and adorned with delightful mosaics with floral patterns. The largest carpet in the world, weighing 21 tonnes, using exclusively natural dyes, covers the mosque floors. It took several months to spread it, not to mention how long and how many people were busy weaving it. Thirty-five chandeliers on a gilded metal structure illuminate the main prayer hall with a splendid giant chandelier in the center, about 14 meters long and weighing over 8 tons. Decorated with hundreds of thousands of Swarovski crystals, the chandelier is designed to hold 1,122 lamps. It illuminates the mosque, as does the bright sun shining over the sacred lands of Oman.

The magnificent Muscat mosque was built during Sultan Qaboos’ reign at his own expense and is named after him. Sultan Qaboos paid much attention not only to the country’s development but also to the spiritual enlightenment of the people. During his reign, many beautiful mosques were built in Oman, topped by the great mosque of Sultan Qaboos.

An international competition was announced for the best design of the mosque. The famous Arab architect Mohammed Saleh Makiya became the winner. It took more than six years before the grand opening of the Sultan Qaboos’s Mosque took place in 2001, and Makiya’s unique project became famous throughout the world.