جامع السلطان قابوس الأكبر

This afternoon, I explored the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat — a true architectural wonder in every way. Unlike any other mosque in the world, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque showcases a diverse array of artistic and architectural styles from different Islamic eras and regions around the world — from Andalusia to China.

In the hallway above, I came across a gold sign with information on “Persian Kashi Design: Lavish Safavid Splendour” that read: “Persian designs are rooted in the Mongol Ilkhanid dynasty (1256-1353 CE) founded by Hulagu Khan. The Ilkhanid ruler Mahmud Ghazan (1295-1304) embraced Islam and this resulted in the dynasty’s prolific output in architecture and the visual arts. Tile production flourished in Kashan, which gave its name to the word kashi for tile. The patronage of the Safavids (16th-18th) celebrated tilework tradition in Isfahan brought new colour schemes and an emphasis on geometric features and relief.” The designs in this hall are based on original designs depicting the flowers of heaven — and each niche is different in pattern and design. Since I’ve spent time excavating Mongol archaeology in Turkmenistan and studying Sufism in Isfahan in Iran, I was most drawn to this hallway connected to Mongolian and Persian history and art.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, a masterpiece of modern Islamic architecture, was a gift to the people of the Sultanate of Oman from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to commemorate the 30th year of his reign. Construction of this enormous sandstone mosque began in 1995, and it was inaugurated by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in 2001.

The mosque is famous for its gigantic Persian carpet which weaves together classical Persian Tabriz, Kashan, and Isfahan designs. It measures 70m by 60m wide (it’s the second-largest hand-loomed Iranian carpet in the world), weighs 21 tons, and contains 1,700 million knots. From the mosque’s rich carpet to its reflective marble floors and heaven-bound arches, the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque embodies a harmonious blend of different Islamic art traditions — setting tolerance and “unity in diversity” in stone.