Location

Address: Fareedhee Magu, Henveiru, Malé, Kaafu Atoll, Maldives.

Geographic coordinates: 4º 10' 40.77" N, 73º 30' 44.57" E

Description

Mosque capacity: 300 persons.

Mosque area: 240 sqm. approx.

Malé Old Friday mosque and its compound comprise the most important heritage site in the country. It is also the biggest and one of the finest coral stone buildings in the world. The present mosque was built in 1658 during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I, replacing the original mosque built in 1153 by the first Muslim sultan of Maldives. It continues to serve as one of the most important places of worship. The mosque is in its original condition except for the corrugated metal sheet roof covering and floor covering. The mosque compound is also in reasonably good condition except for the missing original gateway and part of the old cemetery. New landscaping in parts of the compound compromises the original ambience.

The mosque compound consists of the mosque building, a large minaret, three coral stone wells, a sundial and a cemetery surrounded by a boundary wall. The large unique drum-like minaret is made from plastered coral stone and tied with metal bands. It is painted in white with decorative calligraphy and metal bands. The cemetery has many coral stone mausoleums and grave markers of past sultans, princes and other dignitaries of the country; the mausoleum of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I is located here.  The coral stone work within the cemetery comprises the finest collection in the country. The mosque compound also has high quality coral stone wells with stepping stones leading to the entrances and a sundial. The compound does not have old traditional trees anymore.

The mosque building has a hypostyle layout with the two prayer halls, six fenda or antechambers and two chambers for the sultan and his guards. There is a large mihrab chamber and the mimbar is located in the corner of the mihrab chamber. The mosque is entered through three entrances with rising steps and dhaala. It is built on a highly decorated coral stone plinth using a combined coral stone wall, columns, beams, doors and roof structure with an interlocking dry joinery system. The roof is three-tiered with a modern metal roofing finish and has a highly decorated coffered ceiling, a central recessed laagé and ten smaller recessed laagé’s, all raised from the main beams by turned lacquered thona. There are twenty-four columns in the mosque and out of which twelve are made from coral stone. The Qibla board fixed to the mihrab wall is an exquisite piece of design and calligraphy. It displays quotations from Quran and information about the sultan and how the mosque was built.

History