The largest mosque in Yemen - Al-Saleh Mosque
Named after President Ali Abdullah Saleh, is the largest mosque in Yemen. Located in the al-Sabaeen district in Sana’a, Al-Saleh Mosque was completed in 2008 at a reported cost of $60 million. The designers maintained the traditional Yemeni architecture which gave the Mosque incredible beauty and made it a magnificent attraction for citizens and Muslim residents in Sana’a. It makes for a stunning view when seen from a rooftop in the Old City of Sana’a. The mosque is meant to serve as an enduring symbol of both Islamic and Yemeni heritage and must be able to withstand the ravages of time. With this in mind, building materials were chosen for their durability and resistance to extreme weather conditions.
The Mosque includes a faculty of Islamic studies and Koranic sciences, vast courtyards, underground rest rooms, parking lots, and green areas. Al-Saleh Mosque has six minarets 100 m high, in addition to a number of domes. Each of the minarets is over 100m high, the main hall alone covers 13,500 sq. m and the mosque can hold over 44,000 worshippers, with a separate women’s section. There are 10 doors on the eastern and western sides, five doors on the southern side leading to the mosque’s rear courtyard, the Islamic sharia college’s courtyard, and in the ablution area. The entire structure was built according to the highest standards of safety.
The various Islamic and Yemeni architecture styles of were taken into account in the design of the walls and the roof decorations. The building’s main structure is made of reinforced concrete- Yemeni concrete, thanks to its reputation for being of excellent quality. Moreover, President Saleh instructed that the mosque’s extensive stonework to be carried out exclusively with materials found locally. The inspirational construction of Al Saleh mosque bridges the gap between Yemen’s ancient civilization and architectural legacy and modern technology, and deftly integrates the cherished heritage and novel innovations.
