Pakistan – Shah Faisal Mosque

Shah Faisal Masjid…located at the edge of Islamabad, nestling at the foot of the Margalla Hills, is like one awesome modern looking mosque, and yet looks so surrealy medieval.

The architect wanted to capture the spirit, proportion and geometry of the Kaaba in a purely abstract manner. So it’s like the four minarets are the four sides of the Kaaba, and from the top of each minaret, diagonally connect to the opposite minaret’s base, and then you get this pyramid, which you see here as the part that’s built. The remainder of the cube, which you IMAGINE to be there, that’s the abstract part, and is bounded by the lines that the minarets suggest. Amazing what architects tend to dream up to bring a concept to reality.

 

This mosque is the LARGEST mosque in the world, in terms of area.

 

And it was enormous, belittling experience, but a sheltered form of belittling.

 

This was taken standing at the base of one of the sloping edges of the mosque proper.

 

And this, I just turned around, to take the minaret.

 

I found the design of the mosque very very VERY unique. Looks cool, with the pencil thin minarets standing guard on the four corners of the huge tent like structure.

 

Enormous…spacious…

 

What I found hard to do was to define the TIME of this place. Was it ultra modern or remnant of ancient civilisation?

 

And there it is from afar…almost 5 kilometres away….and it still stands prominent!

 

As natural light fades and artificial lights come up, Shah Faisal Masjid remains steadfast and beautiful in it’s dominance over the scenery.