Faisal Mosque

The Faisal Mosque is the national mosque of Pakistan, located in the capital city, Islamabad. It is situated at the north end of Faisal Avenue, at the northernmost end of the city, and at the foot of Margalla Hills, the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas.

It is the fifth-largest mosque in the world, the largest mosque outside the Middle East, and the largest within South Asia. The mosque features a contemporary design consisting of eight sides of concrete shell and is inspired by the design of a typical Bedouin tent. The design features eight-sided shell-shaped sloping roofs forming a triangular worship hall that can hold 10,000 worshippers.

Construction of the mosque began in 1976 after a $28 million grant from Saudi King Faisal, whose name the mosque bears. The unconventional design by Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay was selected after an international competition.