mosques

Completed in 1848, the Ottoman-style Muhammad Ali Mosque or "Alabaster Mosque" is the most prominent in Cairo, dominating the skyline from its lofty location on the Citadel.

Built by Ahmad Ibn Tulun in 879, this is the oldest mosque in Egypt and the third largest in the world. It is also famed for its lovely architecture and unique minaret.

Dating from the 10th century, Al-Azhar University is one of the oldest operating universities in the world and it is still a major center of Islamic learning. It is connected to the beautiful and historic Al-Azhar Mosque.

Located near Istanbul University, this is one of the oldest mosques in the city. It was completed in 1506 using materials from the Byzantine forum of Theodosius, over which it was constructed.

The holiest mosque in the world, the Haram Mosque has been much expanded from its original 7th-century form. Today it can accommodate up to 820,000 worshippers in air-conditioned comfort.

Officially named the London Central Mosque, this 1960s-style mosque was built in recognition of the British Empire's vast Muslim population.

Built in the 7th century, this beautiful blue-and-gold shrine houses the rock from which the Prophet took his Night Journey into heaven. The rock is also associated with Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac in the Hebrew Bible.

Once a mosque and now a museum, the Hagia Sophia was originally a Byzantine cathedral, built in 537. It is universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world.

The cascading domes and six slender minarets of the Blue Mosque dominate the skyline of Istanbul. The 17th-century mosque was built by Sultan Ahmet I to rival the Hagia Sophia.

Nicknamed the "Forty Pillars Mosque" (its porch has 20 slender columns, which reflect in the adjacent pool), the unique Bolo Hauz Mosque in Bukhara was built in 1712.

Located in the town of Sayyidah Zaynab south of Damascus, the Shrine of Sayidda Zeinab is an opulent Iranian-style Shi'a mosque and shrine. It shelters the tomb of Sayidda Zeinab, the daughter of Imam Ali and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad.

The 12th-century brick Kalon Minaret is one of the most impressive monuments in Bukhara and it can be climbed for fine views. Next to it is the 16th-century Kalon Mosque, built on the site of an earlier mosque.