Historic mosque with its unique 16th-century mihrab restored

MUSCAT, NOV 14
The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has completed restoration and maintenance work on the historic Al Shawadhinah mosque in Al Aqr in Nizwa.
The project is part of the ministry’s efforts to preserve Oman’s architectural heritage and safeguard its cultural legacy, helping maintain the site's authenticity, historical significance, and architectural value while ensuring its sustainability for future generations.
Founded in the 7th century — the 9th year of Hijra, according to some regional accounts — the mosque is one of the earliest places of Islamic worship in the country. It is also commonly known as Masjid Al Qiblatayn (mosque of the two qiblas).
Its most famous architectural feature is an intricately carved stucco mihrab (prayer niche). Dated to 936 AH (1529 CE) via an Arabic inscription in Naskhi script, it was crafted by master artisan Isa ibn Abdullah ibn Yusuf. The stucco mihrab frame incorporates geometric and vegetal motifs alongside five embedded blue-and-white Chinese porcelain bowls.
Built on an elevated mudbrick and stone terrace above street level, the structure features a northern prayer hall supported by four columns across three aisles. It includes an open-air courtyard (sahn) and an ablution room, and it traditionally lacks a minaret and a typical dome.
To gain insight into the architectural perspective, the Observer spoke to Ali bin Jaffer al Lawati, an architect and PhD researcher.
'The importance of Al Shawadhinah Mosque extends beyond its religious and historical value; it also represents an important landmark of Omani vernacular architecture,' he said. 'In the early days of Islam, mosques were characterised by their simplicity, essentially consisting of an enclosed space or hall dedicated to prayer, without elevated minarets for the call to prayer or domes.'
He explained that these architectural features were gradually introduced during the Umayyad and Abbasid periods, and later in the Ottoman era.
'However, Omani mosques retained their simple and distinctive architectural character despite changes that happened in other parts of the Islamic world, incorporating only a few local elements,' Al Lawati noted. 'Among the most notable is the very small dome positioned at the mosque's corner, which the Italian architect and archaeologist Paolo Maria Costa referred to as the Al Boumah. This represents a distinctive element of Omani architecture, with no known equivalent in mosque architecture elsewhere in the Islamic world.'
Furthermore, the mosque contains a richly carved mihrab niche on the Qibla wall, representing an example of Omani niches that reveal a distinctive tradition of interior design.
'Today, it serves as a valuable material record, offering insight into the level of craftsmanship, artistic skill, and technical expertise attained by local artisans and builders in Oman during that period,' he said.