Saturday, February 5, 2011

The London Central Mosque


History
The London Central Mosque was founded during World War II, in recognition of the substantial Muslim population of the British Empire and its support for the Allies during the war. On October 24, 1940, the Churchill War Cabinet allocated £100,000 for acquisition of a site for a mosque in London. The site chosen was a 2.3-acre spot in a prime location next to Regent's Park.

The Islamic Cultural Centre, which would later include the mosque, was officially opened in November 1944 by King George VI. But development of the mosque itself foundered. Various designs were proposed while the Mosque Committee had difficulty acquiring necessary building permits.

Not until 1969 was a design approved (after an international competition) and construction begun. The mosque was designed by English architect Frederick Gibberd, and the expense supported by a donation of £2 million by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. The mosque was finally completed in July 1977, at a total cost of £6.5 million.
Coordinates: 51.528947° N, 0.165153° W (view on Google Maps)
Lodging: View hotels near this location
Phone: 020 7725 2212
Website: www.iccuk.org

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