Muscat Photo Gallery - Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is open to visitors during the morning from Saturday to Thursday. Conceived as a gift to the people to celebrate Sultan Qaboos' 30 years in power, construction started in 1995 and it opened in 2001. Furnished with lots of marble, sandstone, wood, and a 21 ton Persian carpet in the main prayer hall, up to 20,000 people can worship across the complex at any time. The mosque complex is huge, and the main prayer hall is a long walk away. While it is grand, the feel is far different than the other giant mosque in Abu Dhabi. Thanks to the wood furnishings, this one feels more intimate and human in scale. You probably need a good 2 hours to roam the site and manage your way through the crowds. The parking lot and entrance are on the east side of the mosque.