At the foot of the hill of Monte Antenne, in the Parioli district, in an extensive area of parkland mostly given over to sport, with gyms and pitches, stands the Mosque of Rome, the religious and cultural reference point for the Roman Islamic Community.
Inaugurated on 21 June 1995, the project was designed by the architects Paolo Portoghesi, Vittorio Gigliotti and Sami Mousawi, who oversaw the works, which lasted over twenty years and was financed by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.
The interiors are characterised by austere decoration and the subdued colours of materials typically used in Roman buildings, travertine and pink terracotta. The airy spaces are criss-crossed by great shafts of light, which creates a peaceful, evocative and mystical atmosphere. Palm-shaped columns reminiscent of oriental oases support the ceiling.
A couple of curious facts about the minaret: it is the only one in the world that has no loudspeakers to summon the faithful to prayers, and it was stipulated that it could not reach or exceed the height of the dome of the Basilica of St Peter’s.
Inside there is a huge library in the Islamic Cultural Centre of Italy, with a collection of over 10,000 volumes in Arabic, donated by various countries in the Muslim world.
The Mosque of Rome may be visited except during the Sacred Month of Ramadan, during Muslim religious holidays, during Italian public holidays and normally in the month of August. Visitors to the Mosque must wear clothing that is respectful of Islamic customs.