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Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque

Coordinates: 24°37′50.6″N 46°42′38.9″E / 24.630722°N 46.710806°E / 24.630722; 46.710806
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Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque
Arabic: جامع الإمام تركي بن عبد الله
The mosque in Deera Square, in 2024
Religion
AffiliationSunni Islam
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusFriday mosque
StatusActive
Location
LocationDeera Square, ad-Dirah, Riyadh
CountrySaudi Arabia
Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque is located in Saudi Arabia
Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque
Location of the mosque in Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates24°37′50.6″N 46°42′38.9″E / 24.630722°N 46.710806°E / 24.630722; 46.710806
Architecture
Architect(s)Rasem Badran
TypeMosque architecture
StyleModern Najdi (1992)
FounderTurki bin Abdullah Al Saud
Funded byArriyadh Development Authority (1992)
Groundbreaking1826 (original structure)
Completed
  • 1830 (original structure)
  • 1992 (restored structure)
Specifications
Capacity17,000 worshippers
Interior area16,800 m2 (181,000 sq ft)
Minaret(s)Two
MaterialsArriyadh Limestone; marble

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque (Arabic: جامع الإمام تركي بن عبد الله), also known as the Grand Mosque of Riyadh,[1][2] is a Sunni Islam Friday mosque in the ad-Dirah neighborhood of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, located adjacent to al-Hukm Palace compound, in Deera Square.

It was established in the period c. 1830, during the reign of Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud. The mosque was rebuilt in 1992 in Modern Najdi architectural style. Seating 17,000 worshippers and measuring 16,800 square metres (181,000 sq ft), it is one of the largest mosques in Saudi Arabia.[3][4][3]

The exterior and upper portion of the interior is primarily brown Arriyadh Limestone[4] which appears golden when lit up at night.[3] The lower portion of the interior is in white marble. The structure includes separate men's and women's libraries,[5] each 325 square metres (3,500 sq ft).

The mosque is directly connected from the first floor to al-Hukm Palace via two bridges across as-Safaat Square.[4]

History

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The mosque was rebuilt in 1992 on the site of a previous grand mosque, that was built sometime between 1826 and 1830 during the reign of Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Saud.

A Grand Mosque existed on the site for decades but was rebuilt by the Arriyadh Development Authority and reopened in January 1993.[4]

Architecture

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Designed by Rasem Badran in the Modern Najdi style, the mosque was a recipient of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1995.[6]

The minarets of the mosque previously featured a mix of Ottoman and Egyptian styles, with two rectangular sections topped by three rounded sections and a top section coming to a point with round shapes atop it. The courtyard porticos rose in a triangular with decor above. The minarets were however rebuilt in rectangular neo-Najdi style, the courtyard completely resurfaced and the porticos are now a modernized version of their former shape.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rihani (October 28, 2013). Ibn Sa'Oud Of Arabia. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-18745-2.
  2. ^ Holod, Renata; Khan, Hasan-Uddin; Mims, Kimberly (1997). The Contemporary Mosque: Architects, Clients, and Designs Since the 1950s. Random House Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-8478-2043-6.
  3. ^ a b c "Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia". www.gpsmycity.com.
  4. ^ a b c d "Mosques Built by the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh". ArRiyadh Development Authority. Archived from the original on December 20, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  5. ^ Al-Zahrani, Dr Modi (February 13, 2014). "Letters: Grand Mosque library: No entry for women". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved December 28, 2024 – via Saudi Gazette.
  6. ^ "The Great Mosque of Riyadh". Aga Khan Award for Architecture. 1992. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  7. ^ Zuhur, Sherifa (October 31, 2011). Saudi Arabia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-571-6.
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Media related to Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque at Wikimedia Commons