Ten Minarets Resound With Call To Prayer At The Historic Prophet's Mosque

The ten minarets of the Prophet's Mosque are a significant Islamic landmark, showcasing historical heritage and Islamic identity. Initially, during the time of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and his caliphs, the mosque lacked minarets. The call to prayer was made from elevated places, with Bilal ibn Rabah calling the Fajr prayer from a rooftop.

As the mosque expanded, the need for higher places to call the Adhan led to changes. Initially, calls were made from nearby rooftops before moving to the mosque's roof with added elevation. Eventually, minarets were constructed at various heights to facilitate this.

The first improvements to the mosque's structure were made by King Abdulaziz Al Saud between 1370 and 1375 AH. During this period, two southern minarets were retained while three others were replaced with two new ones at the northern corners. These new minarets stood 70 meters tall and had four stories.

The first story of these minarets is square-shaped and extends above the mosque’s roof, ending with muqarnas supporting a square balcony. The second story is octagonal, adorned with arches and triangular finishes, topped with muqarnas and a balcony.

Between 1406 AH and 1414 AH, six additional minarets were built, each reaching 104 meters in height. This brought the total number of minarets to ten. These new structures harmonized with those from the first Saudi expansion.

Four of these new minarets are located on the northern side of the mosque. One stands at the southeastern corner of the expansion and another at its southwestern corner. Each new minaret consists of five stories.

Architectural Details

The first story of these newer minarets is square-shaped. The second story is octagonal with a diameter of 5.5 meters, covered in colored artificial stone. Each side features three white marble columns topped with arches ending in triangular shapes.

The third story is cylindrical, measuring 5 meters in diameter and 18 meters high, painted dark gray. It is adorned with twelve prominent wavy bands ending in muqarnas that support a circular balcony.

The fourth story is also cylindrical with a diameter of 4.5 meters and a height of 15 meters. It features eight arches resting on white marble columns topped with muqarnas supporting another circular balcony.

Final Touches

The fifth story begins as a polygonal cylinder and ends with a serrated crown supporting a conical upper section. This is followed by an onion-shaped dome carrying a bronze crescent that is 6.7 meters high and weighs 4.5 tons, plated with 14-carat gold.

The architectural evolution of these minarets reflects both historical significance and modern enhancements while maintaining harmony within their design elements.

With inputs from SPA