A spiritual journey to a destination marked by artistic beauty, culture, and heritage
Qatar is welcoming 102 countries visa-free, check your visa status here.
A spiritual journey to a destination marked by artistic beauty, culture, and heritage
Qatar is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and memorable mosques. Incorporating colourful glass mosaics, exquisite Islamic ceramic and gorgeous marble, Qatar’s mosques take visitors on a peaceful, spiritual, and cultural journey.
Whether you are a travelling Muslim looking for an interesting place to pray or a curious traveller looking to learn more about the faith, here are three mosques that you might want to add to your travel itinerary:
The Imam Abdul Wahhab Mosque was constructed in 2011 to serve as the state mosque and houses an impressive 30,000 worshipper capacity. It features beautiful and authentic Islamic architecture and has a captivating atmosphere, with its various handwoven, patterned rugs, and 28 chandeliers that automatically dim to adjust against the natural light filtering through its windows. The mosque is conveniently located close to numerous hospitality attractions and shopping destinations such as The Gate Mall and City Center Mall.
Located in the heart of Katara Cultural Village, the Katara Mosque offers a stunning visual experience with glittering turquoise and purple mosaic tiles that adorn its exterior walls. Brought to life by renowned designer, Zainab Fadil Oglu, the mosque is equally aesthetically pleasing on the inside; the interior offers a warm yet light ambience with colourful patterns and a large central chandelier that complement the mosque’s façade. Katara Cultural Village is a perfect destination for families, with numerous eateries, a promenade, concert halls and exhibition galleries and running and cycling tracks in the nearby lush landscapes of Katara Hills.
The visually arresting Education City Mosque is one of Qatar’s most community-focused places of worship. It aims to be more than a place of prayer and hosts various events for those looking to learn more about the faith, as well as serving as a community mosque for the surrounding Al Rayaan area. Education City Mosque can be found in the jutting spires of the Minaretein building, which sits upon five large columns, that each represents the five pillars of Islam. It is positioned in the heart of the Education City campus, close to various popular attractions including the Qatar National Library.
Fanar, Qatar Islamic Cultural Centre, was built as a replica of the Great Mosque of Al-Mutawwakil in Samarra, Iraq, and is one of Qatar’s most distinct landmarks, boasting a beautiful spiral minaret that juts from its surroundings. The mosque is a part of a cultural centre that houses a library and is the perfect destination for those who would like to understand more about Islamic culture. The mosque is centrally located and is a short walk from popular attractions including Souq Waqif, Msheireb Downtown Doha, and Doha Corniche.
Arguably one of Qatar’s most elegant places of worship, Msheireb Mosque intricately fuses together elements of classic Islamic and modernist architecture. Gorgeously adorned throughout with geometric patterning, the mosque features a specially tailored daylight and sunlight design, meaning that no artificial lighting is required during daylight hours. Set in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, the mosque is ideally positioned close to some of the city’s most famous attractions, including Souq Waqif.
Important to note:
Etiquette when visiting a mosque includes wearing loose-fitting, modest clothes and taking off shoes before entering the prayer hall.
Want to travel visa-free? Check if you qualify here.
Planning your trip to Qatar? Check how to get here.
Make the most of your visit with our handy travel guide.
From a dhow boat to our world-class metro, here’s how to easily explore Qatar.