List of mosques in the Maldives
This is a list of mosques in the Maldives. The first mosques built in the Maldives were initially made of materials that easy degraded over time such as wood, coconut, and palm leaves. Later on, by the middle of the 17th to early 19th centuries, Maldivian coral stone mosque architecture developed and flourished. Due to the country's proximity with the Arabian peninsula, Arabian onion-dome mosque architecture soon replaced the majority of indigenous Maldivian coral stone mosques by the middle of the 19th century. Today, only six Maldivian coral stone mosques are in good condition, all of which are listed as UNESCO Tentative Sites under the nomination name of Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives.
Coral stone mosques
Coral stone mosques are ancient mosques of Maldives built with interlocking mechanisms that mainly consist of coral stones. They are unique architectural structures not seen in any other part of the world.Image | English Name | Dhivehi Name | Island | Historic / Etymological Location | Atoll / Administrative Division | Built / Circa | Coral Type | Remarks |
Fuvah Mulah Gen Mosque | Gen Miskiy | Fuvah Mulah | Addumulah | Gnaviyani Atoll | 1300 | Coral Sandstone | Oldest coral stone mosque in Maldives built straight after conversion to Islam. | |
Fuvah Mulah Kedeyre Mosque | Kedeyre Miskiy | Fuvah Mulah | Addumulah | Gnaviyani Atoll | 1397 | Coral Sandstone | ||
Hulhumeedhoo Koagannu Mosque | Koagannu Miskiy | Hulhumeedhoo of Addu | Addumulah | Addu Atoll | 1397 | Coral Sandstone | Oldest mosque in Koagannu. It also has the largest and the oldest cemetery in the Maldives. | |
Guraidhoo Ziyaarai Mosque | Guraidhoo Ziyaarai Miskiy | Guraidhoo | Thaa Atoll | 1400 | Coral Porite | Has the mausoleum of Sultan Usman of Fehendhoo | ||
Hulhumeedhoo Boadha Mosque | Hulhumeedhoo Boadha Miskiy | Hulhumeedhoo of Addu | Addumulah | Addu Atoll | 1403 | Coral Porite | ||
Hulhumeedhoo Athara Mosque | Athara Miskiy | Hulhumeedhoo of Addu | Addumulah | Addu Atoll | 1417 | Coral Sandstone | ||
Vaadhoo Old Friday Mosque | Vaadhoo Asaaree Miskiy | Vaadhoo | Suvadinmathi | Huvadu Atoll / Gaaf Dhaal | 1500 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | Known to have been used by the religious scholar Vaadhoo Dhaanaa Kaleyfaanu. | |
Utheemu Kandhuvalu Mosque | Utheemu Kandhuvalu Miskiy | Utheemu | Haa Alif Atoll | 1500 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | It has the mausoleum of father and grandfather of Sultan Ghazi Mohamed Thakurufaan. | ||
Baarah Old Friday Mosque | Baarah Hukuru Miskiy | Baarah | Haa Alif Atoll | 1500 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | Used by Sultan Ghazi Mohamed Thakurufaan. Restored by Sultan Mohamed of Devvadhoo after damage. | ||
Kolhufushi Gazee Mosque | Gazee Miskiy | Kolhufushi | Meemu Atoll | 1573 | Coral Sandstone | Timber used in the mosque is said to be from Kalhuohfummi, famous boat used by the Utheemu brothers. | ||
Hulhumeedhoo Fandiyaaru Mosque | Hulhumeedhoo Fandiyaaru Miskiy | Hulhumeedhoo of Addu | Addumulah | Addu Atoll | 1586 | Coral Porite | ||
Hangnaameedhoo Old Mosque | Hangnaameedhoo Asaaree Miskiy | Hangnaameedhoo | Alif Dhaal Atoll | 1600 | Coral Sandstone | The mosque is near the mausoleum of Sultan Ibrahim III | ||
Veyvah Old Mosque | Veyvah Asaaree Miskiy | Veyvah | Meemu Atoll | 1600 | Coral Porite | |||
Bileddhoo Old Mosque | Bileddhoo Masjid Zikra | Bileddhoo | Faafu Atoll | 1600 | Coral Porite | |||
Malé Friday Mosque | Malé Hukuru Miskiy | Malé | Mahal Atholhu | Kaafu Atoll | 1658 | Coral Porite | UNESCO Tentative Site. Largest coral stone mosque in Maldives built during reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I. Master carpenters were Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu from Kondey, Huvadu. Calligrapher was Chief Justice Al Faqh Al Qazi Jamaaludheen. It took 2 years to construct the mosque. In terms of artistic excellence and construction technique using only interlocking assembly, it is one of the finest coral stone buildings of the world. | |
Kondey Old Mosque | Kondey Asaaree Miskiy | Kondey | Suvadinmathi | Huvadu Atoll / Gaaf Alif | 1687 | Coral Porite | Originally built by the two master carpenters of Malé Hukuru Miskiy. Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu from Kondey, Huvadu. Extensively remodeled after damage which now basically is a modern structure. | |
Mathiveri Old Mosque | Mathiveri Asaaree Miskiy | Mathiveri | Alif Alif Atoll | 1687 | Coral Sandstone | Built by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I | ||
Fenfushi Friday Mosque | Fenfushi Hukuru Miskiy | Fenfushi | Ari-adhe Atholhu | Alif Dhaal Atoll | 1692 | UNESCO Tentative Site. | ||
Malé Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu Mosque | Dharumavantha Rasgefaan Miskiy | Malé | Mahal Atholhu | Kaafu Atoll | 1694 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | Believed to be originally built by the first Muslim Sultan, Dharumavantha Rasgefaan | |
Malé Seedhee Mosque | Seedhee Miskiy | Malé | Mahal Atholhu | Kaafu Atoll | 1697 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | Believed to have been originally built by Sultan Jamsudheen Umar Veeru | |
Maaenboodhoo Small Mosque | Maaenboodhoo Kuda Miskiy | Maaenboodhoo | Dhaal Atoll | 1700 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | |||
Maaenboodhoo Old Friday Mosque | Maaenboodhoo Asaaree Miskiy | Maaenboodhoo | Dhaal Atoll | 1700 | Coral Sandstone | Built on the site of a Buddhist monastery. | ||
Naalaafushi Old Mosque | Naalaafushi Asaaree Miskiy | Naalaafushi | Meemu Atoll | 1700 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | Damaged during 2004 tsunami but since been renovated. | ||
Dhevvadhoo Old Friday Mosque | Dhevvadhoo Hukuru Miskiy | Dhevvadhoo | Suvadinmathi | Huvadu Atoll / Gaaf Alif | 1701 | Coral Sandstone and Porite Coral | Built by Sultan Ibrahim III and rebuilt by Sultan Mohamed of Devvadhoo | |
Isdhoo Old Mosque | Isdhoo Assaaree Miskiy | Isdhoo | Haddhunmathi | Laamu Atoll | 1701 | UNESCO Tentative Site. | ||
Ihavandhoo Friday Mosque | Ihavandhoo Hukuru Miskiy | Ihavandhoo | Thiladunmathi | Haa Alif Atoll | 1701 | UNESCO Tentative Site. | ||
Meedhoo Friday Mosque | Meedhoo Hukuru Miskiy | Meedhoo | Maalhosmaduva | Raa Atoll | 1705 | UNESCO Tentative Site. | ||
Malé Eid Mosque | Malé Eid Miskiy | Malé | Mahal Atholhu | Kaafu Atoll | 1815 | UNESCO Tentative Site. |