King Saud Mosque
Encyclopedia
His Majesty King Saud Mosque is the largest mosque
in the city of Jeddah
and is located in Jeddah's Al-Sharafeyyah District.
The Mosque was designed by Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil
and was finished in 1987. It is mainly build of brick and covers an area of 9700 m² with the prayer hall alone covering 2464 m². The largest dome has a span of 20 meters and reaches a height of 42 meters. The Minaret reaches a height of 60 meters.
” designs, such as the Great Mosque of Esfahan in Iran. The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
in Kairo in Egypt may have served as model for the minaret and other features such as the dekoration of the attic
.
The mosque itself is rectangular, almost square with a rectangular court build somewhat offset to the west. Four iwans open to the central court. The iwans are not emphasized as individuall structures as in the Persian examples but are mere openings in a large screen wall. The north and south iwans are each set in front of a domed hall that separate four pillared halls to the east and west. The west halls are divided by two pillars each into three naves with to bays. The larger east halls have three naves with five bays and eight pillars each. The east iwan is the largest and connects the court to the largest domed hall that rises between the longer pillared halls in front of the qibla
wall. Irregular shaped rooms fill the triangular spaces between the actual mosque and the outside facade on the north, south and east wall due to the fact, that the mosque is build at an angle to the street grid so that the qibla wall may point to Makkah. The west facade opens to the Medinah Road with a large cubic structure added to the northern end. The minaret of the mosque towers over the south west corner of this structure that has a large iwan opening to the south leading into a domed hall that connects to a corridor that runs along the west wall of the mosque. This large Iwan with the minaret on the left and the mosque connecting at a right angle to the right, both accessible by a flight of steps, form an iconic group that easily catches the eye when looking north along the Medinah road.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in the city of Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
and is located in Jeddah's Al-Sharafeyyah District.
The Mosque was designed by Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil
Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil
Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil is an Egyptian architect who designed over 15 mosques in Saudi Arabia and is considered by many as the foremost contemporary authority in Islamic architecture.- Education :...
and was finished in 1987. It is mainly build of brick and covers an area of 9700 m² with the prayer hall alone covering 2464 m². The largest dome has a span of 20 meters and reaches a height of 42 meters. The Minaret reaches a height of 60 meters.
Layout and Architecture
The layout reminds of Persian “four IwanIwan
An iwan is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called pishtaq, a Persian term for a portal projecting from the facade of a building, usually decorated with calligraphy bands, glazed tilework, and...
” designs, such as the Great Mosque of Esfahan in Iran. The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan is a massive Mamluk era mosque and madrassa located near the Citadel in Cairo. Its construction began 757 AH/1356 CE with work ending three years later "without even a single day of idleness". At the time of construction the mosque was considered remarkable for...
in Kairo in Egypt may have served as model for the minaret and other features such as the dekoration of the attic
Attic style
In classical architecture, the term attic refers to a story or low wall above the cornice of a classical façade. This usage originated in the 17th century from the use of Attica style pilasters as adornments on the top story's façade...
.
The mosque itself is rectangular, almost square with a rectangular court build somewhat offset to the west. Four iwans open to the central court. The iwans are not emphasized as individuall structures as in the Persian examples but are mere openings in a large screen wall. The north and south iwans are each set in front of a domed hall that separate four pillared halls to the east and west. The west halls are divided by two pillars each into three naves with to bays. The larger east halls have three naves with five bays and eight pillars each. The east iwan is the largest and connects the court to the largest domed hall that rises between the longer pillared halls in front of the qibla
Qibla
The Qiblah , also transliterated as Qibla, Kiblah or Kibla, is the direction that should be faced when a Muslim prays during salah...
wall. Irregular shaped rooms fill the triangular spaces between the actual mosque and the outside facade on the north, south and east wall due to the fact, that the mosque is build at an angle to the street grid so that the qibla wall may point to Makkah. The west facade opens to the Medinah Road with a large cubic structure added to the northern end. The minaret of the mosque towers over the south west corner of this structure that has a large iwan opening to the south leading into a domed hall that connects to a corridor that runs along the west wall of the mosque. This large Iwan with the minaret on the left and the mosque connecting at a right angle to the right, both accessible by a flight of steps, form an iconic group that easily catches the eye when looking north along the Medinah road.