Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque Mosque

Address: Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, Nejmeh Square, Beirut Central District, Beirut, Lebanon

Hours: Open for worship; visitors welcome outside prayer times

Admission: No formal admission (working mosque)

The Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque is a large Sunni mosque in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, completed and inaugurated in 2008. It occupies a prominent position near Martyrs’ Square and is one of the city’s most visible modern religious buildings.

Built at a grand scale with a large blue central dome and multiple minarets, the mosque draws both worshippers and visitors interested in its architecture and urban presence. The prayer hall accommodates several thousand people, and the complex includes a forecourt that connects directly to Beirut’s pedestrian downtown.

Construction was initiated and funded by the late business and political leader Rafic Hariri; works took place in the early 2000s and concluded with the formal opening in 2008. The building reflects Ottoman-influenced mosque architecture adapted for a modern, urban context.

The mosque stands on the northern edge of Beirut’s central district, adjacent to Martyrs’ Square and close to the National Museum of Beirut area. It is within walking distance of other downtown landmarks and public transport links that serve central Beirut.

• Best viewing point: Located on Beirut’s central Martyrs’ Square axis, the mosque is most visible from the nearby downtown pedestrian streets and the square itself.
• Peak visit time: Friday midday prayers are the mosque’s busiest times and offer the most consistent chance to see the interior in active use.

What to See#

• Main prayer hall: The mosque’s main worship space is a large, column-free prayer hall arranged toward the qibla wall and platform for the imam, used for regular services and large communal prayers.
• Central dome: A large central dome clad in blue tiles crowns the prayer hall and is a dominant visual element on the downtown skyline.
• Minarets: Four slender minarets surround the building and are visible from several points across central Beirut.
• Courtyard: A paved courtyard and forecourt sit between the mosque and the adjacent Beirut streets, used for circulation and overflow during major prayers.

Located in Beirut’s downtown, the mosque is a short walk from Martyrs’ Square/Nejmeh Square and accessible on foot from most central neighborhoods. Taxis and local buses serve the area.

• Visit mid-morning or late afternoon to view the mosque when it is least crowded with midday prayers and political visits.
• Stand at the piazza in front of the mosque to watch the interplay with Nejmeh Square and the postwar reconstruction of downtown Beirut.
• Be mindful of solemnity and dress modestly; the mosque remains an active place of worship and of occasional national ceremony.