List of mosques in the Maldives explained

This is a list of mosques in the Maldives. The first mosques built in the Maldives were initially made of materials that easy degraded over time such as wood, coconut, and palm leaves. Later on, by the middle of the 17th to early 19th centuries, Maldivian coral stone mosque architecture developed and flourished. Due to the country's proximity with the Arabian peninsula, Arabian onion-dome mosque architecture soon replaced the majority of indigenous Maldivian coral stone mosques by the middle of the 19th century. Today, only six Maldivian coral stone mosques are in good condition, all of which are listed as UNESCO Tentative Sites under the nomination name of Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives.

Coral stone mosques

Coral stone mosques are ancient mosques of Maldives built with interlocking mechanisms that mainly consist of coral stones. They are unique architectural structures not seen in any other part of the world.

Imagealign=left width=200px class=unsortableEnglish Nameclass=unsortableDhivehi NameIslandHistoric / Etymological Locationalign=left width=100pxAtoll / Administrative Divisionalign=left width=050pxBuilt / CircaCoral Typealign=left width=250px class=unsortableRemarks
Fuvah Mulah Gen MosqueGen MiskiyFuvah MulahAddumulahGnaviyani Atoll1300Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)Oldest coral stone mosque in Maldives built straight after conversion to Islam.
Fuvah Mulah Kedeyre MosqueKedeyre MiskiyFuvah MulahAddumulahGnaviyani Atoll1397Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)
Hulhumeedhoo Koagannu MosqueKoagannu MiskiyHulhumeedhoo of AdduAddumulahAddu Atoll1397Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)Oldest mosque in Koagannu. It also has the largest and the oldest cemetery in the Maldives.
Guraidhoo Ziyaarai MosqueGuraidhoo Ziyaarai MiskiyGuraidhooThaa Atoll1400Coral Porite (Hirigaa)Has the mausoleum of Sultan Usman of Fehendhoo
Hulhumeedhoo Boadha MosqueHulhumeedhoo Boadha MiskiyHulhumeedhoo of AdduAddumulahAddu Atoll1403Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Hulhumeedhoo Athara MosqueAthara MiskiyHulhumeedhoo of AdduAddumulahAddu Atoll1417Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)
Vaadhoo Old Friday MosqueVaadhoo Asaaree MiskiyVaadhooSuvadinmathiHuvadu Atoll / Gaaf Dhaal1500Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)Known to have been used by the religious scholar Vaadhoo Dhaanaa Kaleyfaanu.
Utheemu Kandhuvalu MosqueUtheemu Kandhuvalu MiskiyUtheemuHaa Alif Atoll1500Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)It has the mausoleum of father and grandfather of Sultan Ghazi Mohamed Thakurufaan.
Baarah Old Friday MosqueBaarah Hukuru MiskiyBaarahHaa Alif Atoll1500Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)Used by Sultan Ghazi Mohamed Thakurufaan. Restored by Sultan Mohamed of Devvadhoo after damage.
Kolhufushi Gazee MosqueGazee MiskiyKolhufushiMeemu Atoll1573Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)Timber used in the mosque is said to be from Kalhuohfummi, famous boat used by the Utheemu brothers.
Hulhumeedhoo Fandiyaaru MosqueHulhumeedhoo Fandiyaaru MiskiyHulhumeedhoo of AdduAddumulahAddu Atoll1586Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Hangnaameedhoo Old MosqueHangnaameedhoo Asaaree MiskiyHangnaameedhooAlif Dhaal Atoll1600Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)The mosque is near the mausoleum of Sultan Ibrahim III
Veyvah Old MosqueVeyvah Asaaree MiskiyVeyvahMeemu Atoll1600Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Bileddhoo Old MosqueBileddhoo Masjid ZikraBileddhooFaafu Atoll1600Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Malé Friday MosqueMalé Hukuru MiskiyMaléMahal AtholhuKaafu Atoll1658Coral Porite (Hirigaa)UNESCO Tentative Site.

Largest coral stone mosque in Maldives built during reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I.

Master carpenters were Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu from Kondey, Huvadu.[1]

Calligrapher was Chief Justice Al Faqh Al Qazi Jamaaludheen.

It took 2 years to construct the mosque. In terms of artistic excellence and construction technique using only interlocking assembly, it is one of the finest coral stone buildings of the world.

Kondey Old MosqueKondey Asaaree MiskiyKondeySuvadinmathiHuvadu Atoll / Gaaf Alif1687Coral Porite (Hirigaa)Originally built by the two master carpenters of Malé Hukuru Miskiy.Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu from Kondey, Huvadu.[2]

Extensively remodeled after damage which now basically is a modern structure.

Mathiveri Old MosqueMathiveri Asaaree MiskiyMathiveriAlif Alif Atoll1687Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)Built by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I
Fenfushi Friday MosqueFenfushi Hukuru MiskiyFenfushiAri-adhe AtholhuAlif Dhaal Atoll1692UNESCO Tentative Site.
Malé Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu MosqueDharumavantha Rasgefaan MiskiyMaléMahal AtholhuKaafu Atoll1694Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)Believed to be originally built by the first Muslim Sultan, Dharumavantha Rasgefaan
Malé Seedhee MosqueSeedhee MiskiyMaléMahal AtholhuKaafu Atoll1697Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)Believed to have been originally built by Sultan Jamsudheen Umar Veeru
Maaenboodhoo Small MosqueMaaenboodhoo Kuda MiskiyMaaenboodhooDhaal Atoll1700Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)
Maaenboodhoo Old Friday MosqueMaaenboodhoo Asaaree MiskiyMaaenboodhooDhaal Atoll1700Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)Built on the site of a Buddhist monastery.
Naalaafushi Old MosqueNaalaafushi Asaaree MiskiyNaalaafushiMeemu Atoll1700Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)Damaged during 2004 tsunami but since been renovated.
Dhevvadhoo Old Friday MosqueDhevvadhoo Hukuru MiskiyDhevvadhooSuvadinmathiHuvadu Atoll / Gaaf Alif1701Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)Built by Sultan Ibrahim III and rebuilt by Sultan Mohamed of Devvadhoo
Isdhoo Old MosqueIsdhoo Assaaree MiskiyIsdhooHaddhunmathiLaamu Atoll1701UNESCO Tentative Site.
Ihavandhoo Friday MosqueIhavandhoo Hukuru MiskiyIhavandhooThiladunmathiHaa Alif Atoll1701UNESCO Tentative Site.[3]
Meedhoo Friday MosqueMeedhoo Hukuru MiskiyMeedhooMaalhosmaduvaRaa Atoll1705UNESCO Tentative Site.
Malé Eid MosqueMalé Eid MiskiyMaléMahal AtholhuKaafu Atoll1815UNESCO Tentative Site.

Modern mosques

align=left width=200pxNamealign=center width=170px class=unsortableImagesalign=left width=100pxLocationalign=left width=050pxYear/centuryalign=left width=250px class=unsortableRemarks
Hulhumalé Mosque2000s
Islamic Centre1984[4]
Al Yoosuf Mosque1970s
King Salman MosqueMalé

See also

Notes and References

  1. Mauroof Jameel and Yahaya Ahmad (2016). Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives: The Vanishing Legacy of the Indian Ocean, p. 134. ORO Editions. .
  2. Mauroof Jameel and Yahaya Ahmad (2016). Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives: The Vanishing Legacy of the Indian Ocean, p. 105. ORO Editions. .
  3. Web site: Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives - UNESCO World Heritage Centre. UNESCO World Heritage. Centre. whc.unesco.org.
  4. Web site: Islamic Centre Maldives . Ministry of Islamic Affairs .

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