Mosque of Rome
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The Mosque of Rome, located in the Parioli district of Rome, Italy, stands as the largest Musjid in the Western world by land area. Covering an expansive 30,000 m² (320,000 sq ft), it can accommodate over 12,000 worshippers. Nestled in the Acqua Acetosa area, at the base of the Parioli Mounts in the northern part of the city, the Musjid also serves as the headquarters for the Italian Islamic Cultural Centre.
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Besides its primary function as a place for religious gatherings, the Musjid provides a variety of cultural and social services that connect the Muslim community. It hosts educational programs, wedding ceremonies, funeral services, exegesis sessions, exhibitions, conventions, and other events, despite being in a region with a relatively small Muslim population.
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The Musjid’s foundation was a collaborative effort, initiated by the exiled Prince Muhammad Hasan of Afghanistan and his wife, Princess Razia. It received financial support from King Fahad of Saudi Arabia and other Muslim-majority countries, including Bangladesh under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad. The architectural design and direction were spearheaded by Paolo Portoghesi, Vittorio Gigliotti, and Sami Mousawi. Pope John Paul II officiated at the opening ceremony. The project took over a decade to materialize; although the Roman City Council allocated the land in 1974, the first stone was laid only in 1984 in the presence of President Sandro Pertini, with the inauguration occurring on 21 June 1995.
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The construction of the Musjid faced some opposition initially, but this largely dissipated after Pope John Paul II endorsed the project. A key issue resolved during the planning phase was the height of the minaret, ensuring it would not overshadow the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The final design saw the minaret’s height reduced slightly, ensuring it remained approximately one meter (3.3 ft) lower than St. Peter’s dome.