Katara Village

Katara is the old name for Qatar and is used for this cultural village built under the auspices of the Emir. It is where the grace of the past meets the splendour of the future (or so they say). This is the minaret of the mosque known as the Friday Mosque. The mosque is not nearly as large as a grand mosque, but it is covered in the sort of colourful and patterned tiles that are generally associated with Shi’ite mosques in the Gulf Region and Iran. The tiles are undoubtedly a recognition of Qatar’s placement at the confluence of three intermingling cultural traditions: the Arab, the Persian and the African. The burst of colour provides a sharp contrast to the warm ochre of the other buildings in the area, and also to the gaudy and extravagant Golden Mosque, on the opposite side of Katara.