Masjid Al-Dahab (or the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center; ) is situated in the predominantly
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
section of the
Quiapo district in
Manila,
Philippines, and is considered the largest
mosque in
Metro Manila.
Background
The Golden Mosque acquired its name for its gold-painted dome as well as for its location in Globo de Oro Street. Under the supervision of Philippine's then-First Lady
Imelda Marcos, construction began on August 4, 1976, for the visit of
Libya President
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, . Due to the lack of standardization of transcribing written and regionally pronounced Arabic, Gaddafi's name has been romanized in various ways. A 1986 column by ''The Straight Dope'' lists 32 spellin ...
, although his visit was cancelled. It was funded through foreign donations, notably from Libya and
Saudi Arabia.
It now serves many in Manila's Muslim community and is especially full during
Jumuah
In Islam, Friday prayer or Congregational prayer ( ar, صَلَاة ٱلْجُمُعَة, ') is a prayer ('' ṣalāt'') that Muslims hold every Friday, after noon instead of the Zuhr prayer. Muslims ordinarily pray five times each day accordin ...
prayers on a Friday. The mosque can accommodate up to 22,000 worshippers.
The mosque incorporates a mixture of foreign and local influences. Its dome and erstwhile minaret are patterned after Middle Eastern structures whereas its geometric designs borrow much from the colors and variations of ethnic Maranao, Maguindanao, and Tausug art. The curved lines are based on the serpent motifs in Maranao art.
The mosque used to exhibit stained glass panels by artist Antonio Dumlao.
The glass panels are now at the
Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Pamantasan ng Malayong Silanganan''), also referred to by its acronym FEU, is a Private university, private non-sectarian Liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Manila, Philippines ...
.
According to the mosque administrators, the minaret was torn down due to problems in structural integrity at the time of then-Mayor
Lito Atienza
Jose "Lito" Livioko Atienza Jr. (; born August 10, 1941) is a Filipino politician. He served as a Party-list Representative for Buhay from 2013 to 2022, and was a House Deputy Speaker from 2020 to 2022. He served as the Secretary of Environment ...
. There were already plans to rebuild the minaret as donations from all over the world are pouring in to reach the target of . The measurement of its dome is in diameter and in height.
Transportation
The mosque is accessible within walking distance south east of
Carriedo Station
Carriedo station is an elevated Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT) station situated on Line 1. The station is located along the district boundary of Santa Cruz and Quiapo in Manila.
It is one of the five stations in the line to have its concours ...
of
Manila LRT Line 1 Line 1 or 1 line may refer to:
Public transport Africa
* Line 1 (Algiers Metro), Algeria
* Cairo Metro Line 1, Egypt
Asia China
* Line 1 (Beijing Subway)
* Line 1 (Changchun Rail Transit)
* Line 1 (Changsha Metro)
* Line 1 (Changzhou Metro)
* L ...
. It is also accessible to jeepneys, buses, and
UV Express plying the
Quezon Boulevard
Quezon Boulevard is a short stretch of highway in Manila, Philippines running north–south through the district of Quiapo. It is a six- to ten-lane divided boulevard designated as a component of National Route 170 (N170) of the Philippine hi ...
,
Rizal Avenue, and Carlos Palanca Sr. Street (Echague) routes.
See also
*
Islam in the Philippines
References
External links
* „Golden Mosque“, Globo de Oro str., Quiapo, Manila
Pinoy Travel Blog 2006.
Vistapinas: Golden Mosque
Mosques in Metro Manila
Buildings and structures in Quiapo, Manila
Mosques completed in 1976
{{Asia-mosque-stub