Masjid Al-Dahab (or the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center; ) is situated in the predominantly
Muslim section of the
Quiapo district in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, and is considered the largest
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
in
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the seat of government and one of three defined metropolitan areas in ...
.
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
Imelda Romualdez Marcos (; born Imelda Remedios Visitacion Trinidad Romualdez; July 2, 1929) is a Filipino politician who served as the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, wielding significant political power during the dictato ...
, construction began on August 4, 1976, for the visit of
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
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
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
.
It now serves many in Manila's Muslim community and is especially full during
Jumuah 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.
According to the mosque administrators, the minaret was torn down due to problems in structural integrity at the time of then-Mayor
Lito Atienza. 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 of
Manila LRT Line 1. It is also accessible to jeepneys, buses, and
UV Express
UV Express (formerly known as FX, Metered Taxi, and GT Express) is a license to operate utility vehicles, particularly vans, as an alternative mode of public transportation in the Philippines. The term also refers to the vehicles themselves. This ...
plying the
Quezon Boulevard,
Rizal Avenue
Rizal Avenue, also known as Avenida or Avenida Rizal, is one of Manila's main thoroughfares running from its Santa Cruz and Quiapo districts to the Bonifacio Monument (Monumento) Circle in Caloocan. Named after the national hero José Riza ...
, and Carlos Palanca Sr. Street (Echague) routes.
See also
*
Islam in the Philippines
Islam was the first-recorded monotheistic religion in the Philippines. Islam reached the Philippines in the 14th century with the arrival of Muslim traders from the Persian Gulf, southern India, and their followers from several sultanates in t ...
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