Sisi: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque ‘outstanding example’ of Islamic architecture

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi expressed his admiration of Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, saying it is an “outstanding example” of Islamic architecture.

Writing in the guest book following a tour of the site, Sisi said that the mosque plays a pivotal role in boosting Islamic studies.

Sisi also lauded the leading role of the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) which is being described as Oman’s premier venue for musical arts and culture.

The ROHM epitomizes an inspiring cultural and artistic image that reflects the Omani people’s culture and love of arts, the president said.

Sisi and his accompanying delegation also toured ROHM’s theater and other facilities.

Opened in October 2011, the vision of the ROHM is to serve as a center of excellence in global cultural engagement. It became the first opera house in the world to be equipped with a multimedia interactive display seat-back system named Mode23, an award-winning technology designed by GP Smart Stadium’s partner Radio Marconi.

Since its inauguration, ROHM hosted a spectacular series of performances, featuring artists of global repute (Placido Domingo, Renee Fleming, Andrea Bocelli, and Yo-Yo Ma.

As for the newly built Grand Mosque, it was inaugurated by Sultan of Oman on May 4, 2001.

The mosque is built on a site occupying 416,000 square meters and the complex extends to cover an area of 40,000 square meters.

A major feature of the design of the interior is the prayer carpet which covers the floor of the prayer hall. It contains, 1,700,000,000 knots, weighs 21 tons and took four years to produce, and brings together the classical Persian Tabriz, Kashan and Isfahan design traditions.