From: public_awareness@yahoogroups.com On Behalf Of Mohammed Nasir
A Marvel of Modern Architecture
A gift by Saudi King Shah Faisal and an epitome of Pak-Saudi friendship
The friendship and relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are time tested and extremely friendly and cordial. These relations rose to their zenith during the rein of King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (1903 or 1906—March 25, 1975), whose whole hearted and outright support to Pakistan earned him a special place not only in the official quarters but even down to the common man anywhere in Pakistan. His portraits were painted on the back of the trucks, and his posters are still being sold even after 30 years since his death. To pay homage and tribute to this great friend of Pakistan, the name of city of Lyallpur in Pakistan was renamed Faisalabad (meaning the "City of Faisal") in 1979 and a main highway in Karachi was renamed Shahrah-e-Faisal; a residential area close to Karachi Airport was renamed Shah Faisal Colony. Shah Faisal in his lifetime has decided to gift a mosque to be built in Islamabad, Pakistan as a landmark of the Islamic Ummah and love for Pakistani people. The late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia during his visit to Islamabad in 1966 liked the idea of the construction of a grand Mosque as well as the site and offered to bear the expenditure of the Grand National Mosque Project. Later in 1975, upon his tragic death, it was unanimously decided to name as Shah Faisal Mosque to honor a great friend of Pakistan. In fact Fasial Mosque has immortalize the Pakistan-Saudi friendship. Building work started in 1976, costing approximately 130 million Saudi Riyals. The mosque covers an area of 53,821 square feet [5,000 sq m] and can accommodate 10,000 worshippers and a further 40,000 in the adjacent squares. Upon entering Islamabad from the Zero Point, one is is overawed with the first glimpse of the massive structure at the end of Shahrah-e-Islamabad, against the backdrop of the picturesque Margalla Hills. This placement defines its importance, positioning it on elevated terraced land ensures its visibility during day and night for miles around. Its tent like structure was designed by renowned Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, elected through an international competition. Instead of traditional domes usually associated with mosques, the main prayer hall is an eight faceted concrete shell representative of a desert tent. An impressive engineering feat, the shell reaches a height of 131'- 3" (40m) and is supported on four giant concrete girders. The surface is faced in white marble and decorated inside with mosaics and a spectacular Turkish style chandelier. For his peculiar design of this mosque, Dalokay once explained, "I tried to capture the spirit, proportion and geometry of Ka'aba in a purely abstract manner. Imagine the apex of each of the four minaret as a scaled explosion of four highest corners of Ka'aba - thus an unseen Ka'aba form is bounded by the minarets at the four corners in a proportion of height to base akin to Ka'aba. Now, if you join the apex of each minaret to the base of the minaret diagonally opposite to it correspondingly, a four-sided pyramid shall be bound by these lines at the base side within that invisible cube. That lower level pyramid is treated as a solid body while four minarets with their apex complete the imaginary cube of Ka'aba. The interior of this prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy by the famous Pakistani artist Gulgee and Sadequain. The mosque presents a picturesque landscape when seen from the Daman-e-Koh located on the Margalla mountain or from the Islamabad view point at the Shakarparrian Hills near the Zero Point. The mosque also presents a breathtaking view when decorated with illuminations.
A Marvel of Modern Architecture
A gift by Saudi King Shah Faisal and an epitome of Pak-Saudi friendship
The friendship and relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are time tested and extremely friendly and cordial. These relations rose to their zenith during the rein of King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (1903 or 1906—March 25, 1975), whose whole hearted and outright support to Pakistan earned him a special place not only in the official quarters but even down to the common man anywhere in Pakistan. His portraits were painted on the back of the trucks, and his posters are still being sold even after 30 years since his death. To pay homage and tribute to this great friend of Pakistan, the name of city of Lyallpur in Pakistan was renamed Faisalabad (meaning the "City of Faisal") in 1979 and a main highway in Karachi was renamed Shahrah-e-Faisal; a residential area close to Karachi Airport was renamed Shah Faisal Colony. Shah Faisal in his lifetime has decided to gift a mosque to be built in Islamabad, Pakistan as a landmark of the Islamic Ummah and love for Pakistani people. The late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia during his visit to Islamabad in 1966 liked the idea of the construction of a grand Mosque as well as the site and offered to bear the expenditure of the Grand National Mosque Project. Later in 1975, upon his tragic death, it was unanimously decided to name as Shah Faisal Mosque to honor a great friend of Pakistan. In fact Fasial Mosque has immortalize the Pakistan-Saudi friendship. Building work started in 1976, costing approximately 130 million Saudi Riyals. The mosque covers an area of 53,821 square feet [5,000 sq m] and can accommodate 10,000 worshippers and a further 40,000 in the adjacent squares. Upon entering Islamabad from the Zero Point, one is is overawed with the first glimpse of the massive structure at the end of Shahrah-e-Islamabad, against the backdrop of the picturesque Margalla Hills. This placement defines its importance, positioning it on elevated terraced land ensures its visibility during day and night for miles around. Its tent like structure was designed by renowned Turkish architect Vedat Dalokay, elected through an international competition. Instead of traditional domes usually associated with mosques, the main prayer hall is an eight faceted concrete shell representative of a desert tent. An impressive engineering feat, the shell reaches a height of 131'- 3" (40m) and is supported on four giant concrete girders. The surface is faced in white marble and decorated inside with mosaics and a spectacular Turkish style chandelier. For his peculiar design of this mosque, Dalokay once explained, "I tried to capture the spirit, proportion and geometry of Ka'aba in a purely abstract manner. Imagine the apex of each of the four minaret as a scaled explosion of four highest corners of Ka'aba - thus an unseen Ka'aba form is bounded by the minarets at the four corners in a proportion of height to base akin to Ka'aba. Now, if you join the apex of each minaret to the base of the minaret diagonally opposite to it correspondingly, a four-sided pyramid shall be bound by these lines at the base side within that invisible cube. That lower level pyramid is treated as a solid body while four minarets with their apex complete the imaginary cube of Ka'aba. The interior of this prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy by the famous Pakistani artist Gulgee and Sadequain. The mosque presents a picturesque landscape when seen from the Daman-e-Koh located on the Margalla mountain or from the Islamabad view point at the Shakarparrian Hills near the Zero Point. The mosque also presents a breathtaking view when decorated with illuminations.
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