Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque in Beirut, Lebanon; Shutterstock ID 658207393

Shutterstock / Diego Fiore

Mohammed Al Amin Mosque

Beirut


Now the city's major landmark, this huge, striking amber-coloured blue-domed mosque near Martyrs Sq was opened in 2008 and has four minarets standing 65m high. Slain former prime minister Rafic Hariri was instrumental in the project and is buried here. The soaring main hall holds 3700 (male) worshippers; there's a real community feel here as people read or nap on the carpet between prayer times. The women's prayer hall is entered on the other side.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Beirut attractions

1. Maronite Cathedral of St George

0.05 MILES

The neoclassical facade of this late 19th-century cathedral, next to the Mohammed Al Amin mosque, was inspired by the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in…

2. Cardo Maximus

0.07 MILES

The 'cardo maximus' was the principal north–south street of a Roman city, and you can see the evocative remains of Beirut's cardo maximus between the city…

3. St George Crypt Museum

0.1 MILES

When a bomb fell on the Orthodox cathedral in 1975, the only silver lining was that it revealed these ruins beneath. Though the area is small, an…

4. St George Greek Orthodox Cathedral

0.1 MILES

This was built in 1767 and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. In 1975, during the civil war, a bomb fell here and unearthed the ruins of a…

5. Place de l'Etoile

0.14 MILES

Named for the starburst formed by the radial streets of the main square, Place de l’Étoile seems to either be totally empty or rammed with families with…

6. Al Omari Mosque

0.19 MILES

Built in the 12th century as the Church of John the Baptist of the Knights Hospitaller, this attractive building was converted into a mosque in 1291. It…

7. Roman Baths

0.24 MILES

The largest outdoor sight in downtown Beirut hearkening back to the days when the city was a centre of Roman law, the baths here underwent a major…

8. Grand Serail

0.3 MILES

The Grand Serail, a majestic Ottoman-era building that has been restored to its former grandeur and is now the Prime Minister's base, is a splendid…