Across the globe, there are many beautiful mosques offering worshippers not just a place to pray but marvelous interiors, architecture, and culture such as Al Haram Mosque in Saudi Arabia, Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Iran. This month, one mosque has joined the list of inspiring houses of worship for its eco-friendlier offerings.
According to BBC, Cambridge Central Mosque, which is reported to cost almost 30 million US Dollars and has the capacity to hold 1,000 worshippers, opened its doors after more than 10 years of planning. Designed by Marks Barfield Architects, Cambridge Central Mosque is indeed a stunning structure with a very wood-rich design. The mosque includes a prayer hall, ablution areas, and even accommodation for its Imam's family and visiting scholars.
The news site also stated that the mosque has been built to have zero carbon on-site emissions. It is heated and cooled using locally generated energy and its grounds are irrigated using rainwater harvesting. According to Julia Barfield, the mosque’s principal architect, the thinking behind creating such a place of worship was to build “a truly British mosque in the 21st century. This mosque can be a cultural bridge, and [it] takes the environmental message to one of the biggest faith communities in the world.”
Speaking to Cambridge News, Alamin Ahmed, who is the co-founder of the Cambridge Muslim Hub, also shared his views about the mosque, saying, “It’s the first purpose-built mosque in Cambridge and it will be a legacy for our children and our children’s children […] The new mosque is definitely needed in Cambridge; all the others in the city are overflowing and not designed for prayer. But this is also a space for the whole community. There are gardens and a cafe, so it is for the public too, and not just Muslims. It will bring people together.”
