The Crystal Mosque or Masjid Kristal is a mosque in Wan Man, Terengganu, Malaysia. A grand structure made of steel, glass and crystal, the mosque is located at the Islamic Heritage Park on the island of Wan Man.
The mosque was mainly created out of very unique materials which makes it unlike any other in the world.
Although there is some actual crystal present within the structure of the Crystal Mosque, much of the clear material you see as you approach it is glass as the mosques’ sleek and modern look reflects off the water and the mosque is often illuminated from the inside, which makes its glass domes shine , so in order to get the full effect of the mosque’s crystalline appearance, it’s best to visit at night time, when it’s lit up and almost looks surreal.
Aside from this, the Crystal Mosque is reinforced with steel, which in combination with the glass and crystal gives it a sleek-modern look you don’t usually associate with mosques, let alone with the Islamic religion. Although the Crystal Mosque, Malaysia is a far cry from some of the older, grander mosques you find across the Islamic world, the sheer uniqueness of its construction makes it worth the visit.
The Crystal Mosque can accommodate up to 1,500 people at once, although many more might be outside it at a given time, if that given time happens to Ramadan, which I’ll talk more about in the next section.
The unique beauty of the mosque would be its glistening exterior, made almost entirely of glass and steel cladding, thus earning its name ‘crystal’ when the surface of the glass dome reflects under the sun. During dusk and at night, it is lit with colourful lights that accentuate its glass structure.
The main dome is flanked by eight smaller domes and various smaller domes distributed across the mosque’s roof. Made of laminated and tempered glass, each dome is topped with a high pinnacle surmounted with spheres and crescent finials. The domes are strengthened with the use of prefabricated steel structure, which are seen from the inside. Accompanying the dome are four main minarets, which sturdily stand on each corner of the mosque’s building. Inspired by the Ottoman-styled slender minaret, the laminated glass-clad minarets are supported with the use of steel structures and built with spiral staircases inside the minaret. Made of three tiers, the slender minarets are tapered with crescent finials. Minor and smaller minarets or turrets are found in the mosque’s building near the entrance gateway. The interior is embellished using modern design, classical touch of white and gold palettes. Surrounded by the glass wall and domes, the main prayer hall is fully air-conditioned to cool its interior space. The cool granite floor is then covered with a floral carpet, thus giving the prayer hall a lush finish. The main prayer hall is surrounded by a full laminated glass wall imprinted with Islamic calligraphy, with the exception of the qibla wall. Decorated with beautiful yellowish tiles, the pointed arch with the use of muqarnas that form part of the mihrab niche. A white timber minbar sits to the right. Masjid Kristal, which sits on a concrete platform above the flowing river, is also equipped with a female prayer area, ablution and toilet facilities. Masjid Kristal is the country’s first ‘intelligent’ mosque with a built-in IT infrastructure and Wi-Fi connection, providing visitors with internet access with which to read the electronic Quran
Keeping with its modern style, the entire mosque is also, bizarrely, connected with wireless internet and full IT facilities, seemingly a point of pride for the architects.
