Taipei Grand Mosque Introduction
Walking along Xinsheng South Road, you will undoubtedly see a unique building with a 15-meter high dome that catches everyone's eye. This is the Taipei Grand Mosque. The mosque serves as a place of worship for Islam. Covering an area of 2,747 square meters, the Taipei Grand Mosque was completed on April 13, 1960, and was jointly funded by Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. The architect behind its design was the renowned Yang Cho-cheng, who also designed the Grand Hotel Taipei. The main structural elements are made of reinforced concrete beams and columns, with the outer walls reinforced with bricks and finished with fine stone and decorative mosaic patterns. The round stone columns are shaped through stone cutting, and the main doors and windows are designed as large floor-to-ceiling openings. Another significant feature is the dome inside the main hall, which is 15 meters high and spans 15 meters without any supporting beams or columns. The interior is covered with handwoven Persian wool carpets gifted by foreign kings and adorned with regal chandeliers. The two minarets on the exterior rise over 20 meters, making the building magnificent and imposing. For over 40 years, kings, presidents, and leaders from Muslim countries visiting China have included the mosque as a key stop, showcasing its role in international diplomacy and public exchange. When visiting the mosque, be mindful of etiquette; the main prayer hall and the second-floor ladies' prayer room are restricted to Muslims only.
