Yesterday I posted several pictures depicting a Muslim mosque in the vicinity of Calidonia in Panama City, Panama. There is another mosque in the neighborhood of Vista Hermosa, but not as big or sophisticated as this one.
Before I include the images planned for today’s blog post, I would like to explain the term mosque and the different parts of the building for your ready reference. It’s nice to understand the culture and architecture of other people. I don’t travel much, because I don’t have the resources to do so, but I would be a content man if I could travel all over the world. There is so much to see and so much to learn. But that’s besides the point.
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word entered the English language most likely through French (mosquée), from Portuguese (mesquita), from Spanish (mezquita), and from Berber (tamezgida), ultimately originating in Arabic (masjid). The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration.
The mosque serves as a place where Muslims can come together for salat (prayer), as well as a center for information, education, and to settle disputes. The Imam leads the prayers.
A common feature in a mosque is the minaret, the tall, slender tower that usually is situated at one of the corners of the mosque structure. The top of the minaret is always the highest point in mosques that have one, and often the highest point in the immediate area. In I spotted is a crescent-shaped moon on top of each minaret and the dome.
The dome is another important part of a Muslim mosque. The domes, often placed directly above the main prayer hall, may signify the vaults of heaven and the sky. As time progressed, domes grew, from occupying a small part of the roof near the mihrab to encompassing the whole roof above the prayer hall. Although domes normally took on the shape of a hemisphere, the Mughals in India popularized onion-shaped domes in South Asia. Some mosques have multiple, often smaller, domes in addition to the main large dome that resides at the center.
Having explained the main architectural parts of a mosque, below are the rest of the pictures taken at a mosque in Panama City near Avenida Balboa. Here we go.
Snapshot of one of the two minarets of a Muslim mosque in Panama City, Panama. Take notice of the crescent-shaped moon on the top of the minaret. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
In this picture you can detect the dome with the crescent moon as explained earlier. The two flanking minarets are impressive. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
A snaphot of a Muslim mosque with a special effect called "Sketch" provided by PhotoFlex image edition software. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
Snaphot of an elegant minaret against a clear blue sky in Panama City, Panama. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of a wide angle shot of a minaret of a Muslim mosque in the neighborhood of Calidonia in Panama City, Panama. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of a minaret taken at a vertical angle. I placed myself below the minaret to capture the vertical position of the structure. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
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