Faisal Mosque
National Mosque Of Pakistan, Designed By Vedat Dalokay And Completed In 1986; The Largest Mosque In The World From 1986 To 1993 · Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory
The Faisal Mosque is the national mosque of Pakistan and the landmark of Islamabad, a concrete prayer hall shaped like a Bedouin tent with four pencil-thin minarets, set against the green wall of the Margalla Hills. It was designed by the Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, who won an international competition, funded largely by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, after whom it is named, and finished in 1986; for the next seven years it was the largest mosque in the world. It was controversial at first because it has no dome, and it has since become one of the best-loved modern buildings in the Muslim world. The prayer hall, courtyard and grounds together can hold huge crowds on Eid. Inside the hall a great chandelier hangs beneath the folded roof and the qibla wall is a single sheet of marble and mosaic. General Zia ul-Haq, who ruled Pakistan until 1988, is buried beside the mosque. Visit at sunset, when the white concrete turns gold against the hills.
Shah Faisal Avenue, E-8, at the foot of the Margalla Hills, Islamabad, Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
Open daily outside prayer times, from morning until after the evening prayer; the prayer hall may be closed to tourists during prayers and on Friday midday. Entry is free. Shoes are left at the shoe counters and dress rules are enforced at the gate: arms and legs covered, women's hair covered. The mosque is a short drive from central Islamabad and easy to reach by taxi or ride-hailing.