Breathtaking: The Crystal Mosque in Kuala Terengganu, opened to the public in 2008, is one of the most photographed landmarks in Malaysia. — Tourism Malaysia
PETALING JAYA: The uniqueness of Terengganu’s Crystal Mosque has made it a constant addition to travel lists and articles featuring beautiful mosques or houses of worship in the world.
The Crystal Mosque is one of the state’s biggest tourist attractions, after its pristine islands like Redang and Kapas.
Located within the 33ha Taman Tamadun Islam (Islamic Civilisation Park) on the island of Wan Man along Sungai Terengganu, the mosque was opened to the public in 2008 and has a capacity of 1,500 people.
Its domes are mainly made from steel and glass, with some crystal work found both in its interior and exterior facades.
When natural light during the day (or even at night, when there is a full moon) hits the glass domes, it creates a gorgeous sparkling effect, much like a crystal or gem would.
Inside, the walls of the building are adorned with elegant finishings in white and golden hues. A grand crystal chandelier is the main prayer hall’s show-stopping centrepiece.
It is an architecturally unique structure and is often featured in articles and news pieces promoting faith tourism.
It is also said to be one of the most photographed landmarks in Malaysia.
The mosque gets a lot of love on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram from both local and international tourists.
Vloggers and influencers often create content highlighting the mosque, like popular Canadian travellers the Jetlag Warriors, whose 2021 video on YouTube titled Terengganu State Museum & Crystal Mosque – Learning About Malaysia’s History and Culture has garnered significant views.
Their shorter reel clips posted on other platforms also received high views.
The hashtags “crystalmosque”, “masjidkristal” and “masjidkristalterengganu” are mentioned more than 60,000 times on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.