
Constructed during the early 17th century, Istanbul's most photogenic building gets its nickname from the blue tiles adorning the interior.
Photograph by Keith Arnold, Getty Images
Uncommon in mosques, the stained glass windows of Iran's Nasir al Molk in Shiraz illuminate its Persian carpets with a kaleidoscope of patterned flecks of light.
Photograph by Richard I'Anson, Getty Images
At the time of its construction in the late 20th century, Jakarta's Istiqlal was considered avant-garde for its minaret and dome, considered "too Arabic" for the local Muslim population. Traditionally, Javanese mosques include a layered, triple-roof style.
Photograph by Dasril Roszandi, Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
India’s Jama Masjid features a red sandstone and marble exterior that pay homage to the Mughal empire, much of which was influenced by Persia.
Photograph by Zheng Huansong, Xinhua/Redux
The massive Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi holds more than 40,000 worshippers in its courtyard and prayer hall. The world's largest Persian carpet stretches inside under German-imported chandeliers made with Swarovski crystals.
Photograph by Lutz Jaekel, laif/Redux
Functioning as both a school and a mosque in Cairo for almost 300 years, Sultan Hassan provides an archetype mosque for experts to explain what Islamic philosophy is all about.
Photograph by Getty Images
One of the most celebrated characteristics of Iran’s Great Mosque of Isfahan is its expansion and development for more than 10 centuries, representing nearly a thousand years of Islamic art and architecture.
Photograph by Getty Images
The roof of the National Mosque of Malaysia, built in capital Kuala Lumpur during the late 20th century, draws its inspiration from the underside of an open umbrella.
Photograph by MANAN VATSYAYANA, Getty Images
This mosque in Doha is elevated on five piers, that represent the five pillars of Islam—shahada (knowledge), salat (prayer), zakat (charity), siyam (fasting) and hajj (pilgrimage)—each engraved with Quranic verses in elegant calligraphy.
Photograph by Bonnie Jo Mount, The Washington Post/Getty Images
Hassan II Mosque's nearly 700-foot minaret–the tallest in the world–is as iconic to Casablanca as the Empire State Building is to New York.
Photograph by Wolfgang Kaehler, Getty Images
One of the best preserved mosques in Egypt, this majestic red brick complex was built in 876 by the Turkish governor of Egypt and Syria.
Photograph by Michel Setboun, Getty Images
Ottoman mosques, like Istanbul's Süleymaniye Mosque, intentionally imitate the church of Hagia Sofia, another major tourist site in the city.
Photograph by nimon_t, Getty Images
The Islamic Center in Washington D.C. is celebrated for fusing together differing styles and cultural influences, particularly from Iran, Egypt, and Turkey.
Photograph by Getty Images
Produced in the late 1970s, the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad is a modern mosque that is Sunni in its practice, accommodating all of the rituals of the different denominations in the Muslim world.
Photograph by Shahid Khan, Alamy Stock Photo
The first Islamic city in North Africa and one of the four holiest cities for Muslims, Kairouan’s holy trifecta is complete thanks to the Grand Mosque of Kairouan, a structure in Tunisia admired for being an example of Islamic architecture of Muhammed’s house in Medina, considered the first mosque.
Photograph by Ron Watts, Getty Images
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