Riyadh, March 23, 2023, SPA – Al-Qibli Mosque, one of the mosques included in the second phase of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques, is located in the center of Al-Manfouha neighbourhood, one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Riyadh, dating back more than 300 years, where it was built in 1100 Hijri before the founder King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud ordered its rebuilding in 1364 Hijri.
The architecture of Al-Qibli Mosque, whose area is estimated at 642.85 square meters before restoration, and 804.32 square meters after restoration, is uniquely characterized by the Najdi pattern, which uses mud construction techniques and the use of natural materials.
While the capacity of Al-Qibli mosque reaches 440 worshippers after its maintenance, the challenge to developing this kind of Najdi-style mosque is the scarcity of the wood used for the design around the mosque. However, the project sourced the required quality of timber and processes to complete its preparation authentically.
The second phase of the project covered 30 historic mosques across the Kingdom's 13 regions, including six mosques in Riyadh, five mosques in Makkah, four mosques in Madinah, three in Asir, two in each of the Eastern Region, Al-Jauf and Jazan, and one mosque in each of the Northern Borders Region, Tabuk, Al-Baha, Najran, Hail and Al-Qassim.
The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques serves four strategic objectives: restoration of historical mosques for worship and prayer, restoration of the urban authenticity of historical mosques, highlighting the cultural dimension of Saudi Arabia, and enhancing the religious and cultural status of historical mosques. The project also contributed to highlighting the cultural and civilizational extent of the Kingdom as one of the pillars of the Saudi Vision 2030 by preserving authentic urban characteristics and utilizing them to contribute to the development of modern mosque designs.
--SPA
16:52 LOCAL TIME 13:52 GMT
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