mosque

The Sultan Ahmet Camii, or Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey. It was built in 1609-16 for Sultan Ahmet I by the architect Mehmet Aǧa in classic Ottoman style.

The Yeni Valide Mosque in Usküdar, Istanbul, Turkey. The name means ‘New Mosque of the Sultan's Mother’, and it was built in 1710 by Ahmet III in honour of his mother. Usküdar is separated from the main city of Istanbul by the Bosphorus, and is thus in Asia, not Europe.

Ibn Tulun Mosque, Cairo. Originally built in 876, this Arab-style mosque was restored several times and was declared a historic monument in 1890. Seen here are the arches and pillars of the arcades that surround the mosque's courtyards.

Dome and minarets of a mosque in Qom, Iran. Qom is a holy city of the Shiite branch of Islam and an important place of pilgrimage. The gold-domed mosque was built in the 17th century as a shrine over the tomb of Fatima, the sister of the imam.

Sultan Hassan mosque and maddrassah, Cairo. The building was constructed for Sultan Hassan in 1356 as a mosque and religious school for members of each of the four main Sunni Muslim sects.

Mosques in Van, eastern Turkey. The city of Van lies near the Iranian border on the eastern shore of Lake Van, the largest and deepest lake in Turkey. During the 8th and 9th centuries BC, Van was the chief centre of the Urartu kingdom. The area is now largely used for raising stock and growing fruit, vegetables, and grain.

The Blue Mosque, also known as the Mosque of Sultan Ahmed I, in Istanbul, Turkey. Renowned for its distinctively coloured tilework and six fluted minarets, the Blue Mosque was built in the early 17th century by the architect Sedefkar Mehmed Agha. It is based on the 6th-century Byzantine Hagia Sofia, and has a symmetrical design.

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque and Kampong Ayer (Water Village), Brunei. The mosque was built in 1958 at the edge of an artificial lagoon, and has a gold-plated dome.

In Islam, a place of worship. Chief features are: the dome; the minaret, a balconied turret from which the faithful are called to prayer; the mihrab, or prayer niche, in one of the interior walls, showing the direction of the holy city of Mecca; and an open court surrounded by porticoes.

The earliest mosques were based on the plan of Christian basilicas, although different influences contributed towards their architectural development (see Islamic architecture). Mosques vary a great deal in style in various parts of the world.