King Saud Mosque, Islamic architectural site in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia
King Saud Mosque is a prayer hall in Mecca Province featuring a distinctive brick dome measuring 20 meters across and rising 40 meters above ground. The interior is defined by vaulted ceilings constructed from hollow fired bricks that create the building's main structural form.
Egyptian architect Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil designed and completed this prayer hall in 1987, marking an important moment in Saudi architectural history. This period reflected growing interest in connecting traditional building methods with contemporary religious structures.
The mosque incorporates traditional Islamic architectural elements through its load-bearing brick walls, vaults, and domes constructed from hollow baked materials.
The building is accessible to visitors during prayer times and provides separate spaces for different groups of worshippers. It helps to check local prayer schedules beforehand and dress respectfully when entering the prayer hall.
The architect deliberately chose local brick materials instead of concrete for the walls, preserving traditional craftsmanship techniques. This approach demonstrated that modern religious buildings could arise using time-tested methods and materials from the region.
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