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When visiting Oman, one of the greatest treasures you’ll discover is its architecture. The calm and peaceful landscapes reflect the serenity of the Omani people. Behind the grand buildings, tall mountains rise, a reminder of the country's striking terrain. In Muscat, mosques are numerous, imposing, and an essential part of the cityscape.
In this article, I’m sharing my favorite mosques in Muscat, along with a few practical tips to help you visit them under the best conditions. It’s not an exhaustive list, but more of an invitation to discover places filled with spiritual depth and architectural refinement.
Opening hours: Some mosques are open all day, while others only open during prayer times. This isn’t always clearly stated on Google, so it’s best to plan your visits around the prayer schedule.
Children: In Oman, children under the age of 8 are generally not allowed to enter the prayer area. This can vary depending on the mosque, but it’s a common rule. In some mosques, an outdoor area is installed to enable the prayer with family.
Photography: Muscat’s roads are mostly fast highways with no stopping points, making it difficult to capture wide-angle shots of the mosques. Ironically, the best views are often the ones seen... with your eyes, from afar, while driving.
The mosquee is open to visitors every day from 8 AM to 11 AM except Friday. I recommend visiting both in the morning and again in the evening (around Maghrib or Isha)—the lighting completely changes the atmosphere.
The mosque is surrounded by gardens and wide pedestrian walkways. Since Muscat has relatively few walkable outdoor spaces, this is a perfect spot to stretch your legs—just avoid the hottest times of the day.
It’s also a very popular site with tourists, so if you’re looking for a quiet visit, go very early in the morning. Fajr time is ideal!
Since children aren’t allowed to pray inside, there’s an outdoor prayer area with a mat for families.
⏰ Open daily (except Fridays) from 8 AM to 11 AM
🌄 Visit at sunrise or sunset for different vibes
🌿 Surrounded by peaceful gardens & walking paths
👨👩👧 Outdoor family prayer space available My tip: Go at fajr for total serenity!
Every time I visited and it was not praying time, the mosque was open :)
The mosque overlooks the city. When approaching by car, it seems incredibly large compared to everything around it. That impression fades a bit once you arrive, but the bright white of the building makes it stand out from afar—it’s impossible to miss.
I find this place especially suited for reflection. It’s calm, with no visitors, and the interior is striking—full of intricate details and perfectly crafted Arabic architecture carved into the walls. I highly recommend this mosque for a quiet moment of rest and inner contemplation.
🤍 Bright white, seen from afar
🧘♀️ Quiet, peaceful, with detailed Arabic architecture
🚪 Always found it open—even outside prayer times Perfect for a spiritual pause and reflection.
I'll start with the only downside: this mosque is far from the city center, and there’s not much to do around it. There, I said it :) But honestly, for me, this mosque is truly one of a kind and well worth the detour. When I quietly stepped into the men’s prayer hall to sneak a quick look, I saw young boys, dressed in traditional clothing, playing after school. That image stayed with me—it reminded me of the peacefulness of the country and the purity of childhood.
Interestingly, this mosque was named the most beautiful mosque in the world by The Times. It’s fundamentally different from the others. Small and very simple. So what makes it so special? Precisely that: it minimalism. With no visual distractions, isn’t the mind more able to reflect, to disconnect from the outside world?
The men’s wudu area is a semicircle with an open roof, surrounded by plants. The prayer halls—for both men and women—are circular. In the women’s area, the ceiling is a spiral with seven coils, symbolizing the seven heavens we strive toward. It also serves as a minaret. The pink carpets are plain, with no patterns. The mihrab is simply a niche in the wall. In the men’s hall, a beam of natural light entering the room marks the qibla.
The architect, Marwan Al Blooshi, was awarded a Times recognition: “One of the Greatest Places in the World – 2024.”
Side note: I went outside of prayer hours, and it was open 😉
📍 A bit far from the center—nothing around
🏆 Named “One of the Greatest Places in the World 2024” by The Times
🔁 Circular prayer halls, spiral ceiling (7 heavens)
🌸 Minimalist design = pure tranquility This mosque is all about inner peace, not grandeur.
As I was driving past this mosque, I thought to myself—it’s truly one of a kind. There are no stopping points, just curves and circular arches. From the outside, it has that wow effect! The women’s prayer hall was under construction, so I wasn’t able to go in. The mosque is located in the Seeb district, slightly outside the city center.
📍 Located in Seeb, a bit out of town
🧱 Unique curved architecture, very “wow” from the road
🚧 Women’s prayer hall under construction when I visited Still, a visually striking spot worth seeing!
This mosque is probably the most representative of typical Omani architecture on my list. It looks like many of the local mosques you’ll find across the country. It features two minarets topped with spheres, giving it a distinct style. The mosque sits right in front of the mountains. I was able to enter outside of prayer times.
🕌 Classic Omani design with twin minarets
🌄 Set against a mountain backdrop
🧘 Accessible outside of prayer hours Representative mosques of Oman and its popular mosques.
Unfortunately, I arrived outside of prayer hours and couldn’t go in. And to be honest, the photos I managed to take from the parking lot weren’t exactly flattering. Yet—from a distance, viewed from the road—this mosque is truly picturesque. The mountains behind it make it appear even more majestic. Built in 2020, it’s adorned with modern Arabic calligraphy on its outer walls.
📸 Stunning from the road—especially with the mountains behind
🏗️ Built in 2020, features modern Arabic calligraphy
🚪 Was closed when I arrived A modern gem, simple yet powerful from a distance.
I hope this guide gives you some tips to enjoy your visits of the mosques of Muscat, which are a rich part of the country islamic culture and heritage.
I hope overall that your journey and your visit of the mosques will be a great occasion to reconnect with your soul and with Allah first of all.
May Allah guide us all to the straight path.
Safe travels & enjoy the beauty of Oman! 🌍
