Mosques are some of the most incredible examples ofIslamic architecturein the world.
Interestingly, we may have a record of the first-ever mosque created.
Believers considerProphet Muhammads home in Medinamodern-day Saudi Arabiato be the first mosque ever created.
Left to Right: Saint Petersburg Mosque, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Dome of the Rock, Hagia Sophia, Hassan II Mosque, Putra Mosque, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or the Blue Mosque, and the Great Mosque of Mecca.
Some of the features of Muhammads home can still be found in the designs ofmosqueslisted in this article.
On the interiors, mosques include amihrabwhich is a wall niche that helps orient worshippers toMecca.
Here are 10 incredible mosques around the world.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or the Blue Mosque, in Istanbul, Turkey (Photo:Stock Photosfrom muratart/Shutterstock)
This was not the end of the holy sites transition of ownership.
The dome is covered in mosaics that vary in age as a result of many renovations.
Hagia Sophia stands on the site of what was once a pagan temple during the Roman Empire.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or the Blue Mosque, in Istanbul, Turkey (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Yarygin/Shutterstock)
The construction began just after the Nika riots which destroyed the second Christian church that preceded the Hagia Sophia.
Justinian I imported exotic materials likeverde antico, which created incredible green columns imported from Greece.
The building spared no expense and was the largest and one of the most lavish Christian cathedrals untilSt.
Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Muhamad Taufiq Bin Azmi/Shutterstock)
Peters Basilicawas completed many centuries later in Rome.
The church was badly damaged and the interiors were desecrated during the crusades.
TheOttoman Empirewould take control of the Hagia Sophia after the Byzantines.
Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem (Photo:Stock Photosfrom wong yu liang/Shutterstock)
The sultan was inspired by the beauty of Hagia Sophia and decided to convert the church into a mosque.
The design of the Great Mosque is centered around theKaabathe most sacred site in all of Islam.
The Muslim community grew and the basilica expanded until Abd al-Rahman I bought the Christian half of the site.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Elena Przhevalskaia/Shutterstock)
This area was demolished and the Great Mosque of Cordoba began construction in 785.
The mosque was transformed back to a Catholic church when it was conquered by King Ferdinand III in 1236.
It is also the 7th largest mosque in the entire world.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Faraz Azhar/Shutterstock)
The placement of this building along the Atlantic Ocean is significant to its history.
Much of the building was handmade.
It was also the tallest European mosque outside of Turkey.
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey (Photo:Stock Photosfrom AlexAnton/Shutterstock)
Putra Mosque is an important addition to this area of Putrajaya and reflects elegantly on Putrajaya Lake.
(This government district sits just 25 miles fromKuala Lumpur.)
Much of the building, including the expansive dome, is made out of pink granite.
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Artur Bogacki/Shutterstock)
It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
Masjid al-Haram, the Sacred Mosque or the Great Mosque of Mecca, in Mecca, Hejaz, Saudi Arabia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Mohamed Reedi/Shutterstock)
Masjid al-Haram, the Sacred Mosque or the Great Mosque of Mecca, in Mecca, Hejaz, Saudi Arabia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom SLSK Photography/Shutterstock)
Córdoba Mosque in Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain (Photo:Stock Photosfrom emperorcosar/Shutterstock)
Córdoba Mosque in Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Songquan Deng/Shutterstock)
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco (Photo:Stock Photosfrom praphab louilarpprasert/Shutterstock)
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco (Photo:Stock Photosfrom kicimici/Shutterstock)
Saint Petersburg Mosque in Saint Petersburg, Russia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Anna Pakutina/Shutterstock)
Saint Petersburg Mosque in Saint Petersburg, Russia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom witaya ratanasirikulchai/Shutterstock)
Putra Mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom N_Sakarin/Shutterstock)
Putra Mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Artit Wongpradu/Shutterstock)
Crystal Mosque in Wan Man, Terengganu, Malaysia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom zulkamalober/Shutterstock)
Crystal Mosque in Wan Man, Terengganu, Malaysia (Photo:Stock Photosfrom Patrick Foto/Shutterstock)
