Here what you need to know about Fanar — Islamic Cultural Center of Qatar

Why go?

The building attracts attention with its unusual architecture. It also features exciting interiors. Most visitors are Muslims, but since tourists are allowed inside, the excursion can be educational.

How to get there?

The Islamic Cultural Center is located in the old part of Doha. Nearby, two blocks to the south, there is the central bus station, so getting to Phanar is very easy, all routes ending at the bus station are suitable.

If you go from the airport, routes 777 and 747 are suitable. Brings passengers directly to the bus station. The 777 bus stop is located on the Corniche embankment in the area of ​​the Emir’s palace, from there it will take much longer than from the bus station, about 1.5 kilometres.

It is easy to get to Phanar by car, you need to be guided by the embankment, and in its open space, the high tower of the complex will be clearly distinguishable from afar. It is most convenient to park in an underground car park located under the city park near the embankment upon arrival.

When to go?

The cultural centre is open to the public all year round. Visitors are admitted from Monday to Thursday and Sunday. Standard working hours are from 7:30 to 13:30 and from 17 to 20 hours.

It’s hot during the day at any time of the year, so siesta. It is advisable to dress modestly for a visit, at least cover your shoulders and knees. Locals understand what it is like for tourists who are not used to the heat, but their tolerance has limits.

What to do?

First, inspect the complex from the outside.

When I saw the building for the first time, I decided that there was a lighthouse in front of me. The spiral tower looked too unusual. Until now, I have never seen anything like it among the samples of Islamic architecture.

Then I noticed that the spire was crowned with a crescent moon and thought it was a mosque. But mosques are usually built according to other canons, I have not seen such buildings anywhere. As it turned out, my guesses about the mosque were correct, and the building has a strange appearance because it is also an Islamic cultural centre.

The complex was specially built for the needs of the cultural centre. This is a hotbed for the spread of Islam. Which is why proselytism is aimed at tourists. They are allowed access to the building’s interior, and I think they are designed for a lush, bright interior design.

The interiors’ unusualness makes an impression, it is immediately apparent that a lot of money was invested in the cultural centre.

Sharing impressions after examining the Phanar, we concluded that something hurt our eyes all the time. It turned out that there was a shortage of portraits that are invariably found in any European cultural institution. But since the traditions of Islam forbid depicting people, there are no portraits in Phanar. Seeing numerous images of Qatar’s Emir on billboards and facades of buildings in Doha, we expected that everything would be a little different in the cultural centre.

The building has an extensive library and auditoriums for those wishing to learn Arabic and learn more about Islam.

Food in the Mosque?

There is no food in the mosque, of course, if hunger is dead, you can drink water from the springs for ablution. To eat, you need to cross the road and delve into the wilds of the Souq Waqif market. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants serving any cuisine, be it Western or Eastern.

If you are with a large group of friends, you can also consider hiring a van. All you have to do is type Book a van near me on Google. You can then open different car rental websites and compare prices to get the best deal.