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List of mosques in the Maldives

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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

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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.

Image English Name Dhivehi Name Island Historic / Etymological Location Atoll / Administrative Division Built / Circa Coral Type Remarks
Gen Mosque in Fuvah Mulah Fuvah Mulah Gen Mosque Gen Miskiy Fuvah Mulah Addumulah Gnaviyani Atoll 1300 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa) Oldest coral stone mosque in Maldives built straight after conversion to Islam.
Fuvah Mulah Kedeyre Mosque Kedeyre Miskiy Fuvah Mulah Addumulah Gnaviyani Atoll 1397 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)
Hulhumeedhoo Koagannu Mosque Koagannu Miskiy Hulhumeedhoo of Addu Addumulah Addu Atoll 1397 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa) Oldest mosque in Koagannu. It also has the largest and the oldest cemetery in the Maldives.
Guraidhoo Ziyaarai Mosque Guraidhoo Ziyaarai Miskiy Guraidhoo Thaa Atoll 1400 Coral Porite (Hirigaa) Has the mausoleum of Sultan Usman of Fehendhoo
Hulhumeedhoo Boadha Mosque Hulhumeedhoo Boadha Miskiy Hulhumeedhoo of Addu Addumulah Addu Atoll 1403 Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Hulhumeedhoo Athara Mosque Athara Miskiy Hulhumeedhoo of Addu Addumulah Addu Atoll 1417 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa)
Vaadhoo Old Friday Mosque Vaadhoo Asaaree Miskiy Vaadhoo Suvadinmathi Huvadu Atoll / Gaaf Dhaal 1500 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa) Known to have been used by the religious scholar Vaadhoo Dhaanaa Kaleyfaanu.
Utheemu Kandhuvalu Mosque Utheemu Kandhuvalu Miskiy Utheemu Haa Alif Atoll 1500 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa) It has the mausoleum of father and grandfather of Sultan Ghazi Mohamed Thakurufaan.
Baarah Old Friday Mosque Baarah Hukuru Miskiy Baarah Haa Alif Atoll 1500 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa) Used by Sultan Ghazi Mohamed Thakurufaan. Restored by Sultan Mohamed of Devvadhoo after damage.
Kolhufushi Gazee Mosque Gazee Miskiy Kolhufushi Meemu Atoll 1573 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa) Timber used in the mosque is said to be from Kalhuohfummi, famous boat used by the Utheemu brothers.
Hulhumeedhoo Fandiyaaru Mosque Hulhumeedhoo Fandiyaaru Miskiy Hulhumeedhoo of Addu Addumulah Addu Atoll 1586 Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Hangnaameedhoo Old Mosque Hangnaameedhoo Asaaree Miskiy Hangnaameedhoo Alif Dhaal Atoll 1600 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa) The mosque is near the mausoleum of Sultan Ibrahim III
Veyvah Old Mosque Veyvah Asaaree Miskiy Veyvah Meemu Atoll 1600 Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Bileddhoo Old Mosque Bileddhoo Masjid Zikra Bileddhoo Faafu Atoll 1600 Coral Porite (Hirigaa)
Malé Friday Mosque Malé Hukuru Miskiy Malé Mahal Atholhu Kaafu Atoll 1658 Coral Porite (Hirigaa) UNESCO Tentative Site.[1]

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.[2]

Calligrapher was Chief Justice Al Faqh Al Qazi Jamaaludheen.[2]

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.[2]

Kondey Old Mosque Kondey Asaaree Miskiy Kondey Suvadinmathi Huvadu Atoll / Gaaf Alif 1687 Coral Porite (Hirigaa) Originally built by the two master carpenters of Malé Hukuru Miskiy.

Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu from Kondey, Huvadu.[3]

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

Mathiveri Old Mosque Mathiveri Asaaree Miskiy Mathiveri Alif Alif Atoll 1687 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa) Built by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I
Fenfushi Friday Mosque Fenfushi Hukuru Miskiy Fenfushi Ari-adhe Atholhu Alif Dhaal Atoll 1692 UNESCO Tentative Site.[1]
Malé Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu Mosque Dharumavantha Rasgefaan Miskiy Malé Mahal Atholhu Kaafu Atoll 1694 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa) Believed to be originally built by the first Muslim Sultan, Dharumavantha Rasgefaan
Malé Seedhee Mosque Seedhee Miskiy Malé Mahal Atholhu Kaafu Atoll 1697 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa) Believed to have been originally built by Sultan Jamsudheen Umar Veeru
Maaenboodhoo Small Mosque Maaenboodhoo Kuda Miskiy Maaenboodhoo Dhaal Atoll 1700 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa)
Maaenboodhoo Old Friday Mosque Maaenboodhoo Asaaree Miskiy Maaenboodhoo Dhaal Atoll 1700 Coral Sandstone (Veligaa) Built on the site of a Buddhist monastery.
Naalaafushi Old Mosque Naalaafushi Asaaree Miskiy Naalaafushi Meemu Atoll 1700 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa) Damaged during 2004 tsunami but since been renovated.
Dhevvadhoo Old Friday Mosque Dhevvadhoo Hukuru Miskiy Dhevvadhoo Suvadinmathi Huvadu Atoll / Gaaf Alif 1701 Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral (Veligaa/Hirgaa) Built by Sultan Ibrahim III and rebuilt by Sultan Mohamed of Devvadhoo
Isdhoo Old Mosque Isdhoo Assaaree Miskiy Isdhoo Haddhunmathi Laamu Atoll 1701 UNESCO Tentative Site.[1]
Ihavandhoo Friday Mosque Ihavandhoo Hukuru Miskiy Ihavandhoo Thiladunmathi Haa Alif Atoll 1701 UNESCO Tentative Site.[1]
Meedhoo Friday Mosque Meedhoo Hukuru Miskiy Meedhoo Maalhosmaduva Raa Atoll 1705 UNESCO Tentative Site.[1]
Malé Eid Mosque Malé Eid Miskiy Malé Mahal Atholhu Kaafu Atoll 1815 UNESCO Tentative Site.[1]

Modern mosques

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Name Images Location Year/century Remarks
Hulhumalé Grand Mosque Hulhumalé 2000s Officially, Masjid al Sheikh Qasim bin Al-Thani
Islamic Centre Malé 1984[4]
Al Yoosuf Mosque Eydhafushi 1970s
King Salman Mosque Malé 2022 As of December 2024, the mosque was not officially opened.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". whc.unesco.org.
  2. ^ a b c Mauroof Jameel and Yahaya Ahmad (2016). Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives: The Vanishing Legacy of the Indian Ocean, p. 134. ORO Editions. ISBN 9780986281846.
  3. ^ Mauroof Jameel and Yahaya Ahmad (2016). Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives: The Vanishing Legacy of the Indian Ocean, p. 105. ORO Editions. ISBN 9780986281846.
  4. ^ "Islamic Centre Maldives". Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
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