Paolo Portoghesi's mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre at the foot of the Parioli hills
Set in green parkland in northern Rome, below the Monte Antenne hill and the elegant Parioli district, the Great Mosque of Rome is the main place of worship for the city's Muslim community and the seat of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Italy. For Muslim travellers it is a welcome place to join Friday prayers in the Italian capital; for others it offers a remarkable piece of late 20th-century architecture well away from the usual tourist routes.
The complex combines a minaret, domes and arcaded courtyards with building materials long associated with Rome, such as travertine and pink terracotta. Inside, the great prayer hall is designed to feel like a forest or an oasis, with slender columns branching like palm trunks into the ceiling and soft light filtering across glazed ceramic decoration.
The project grew out of requests in the 1970s from Muslim diplomats and international staff in Rome for a dedicated place of worship. Rome's city council donated the land in 1974, the first stone was laid in 1984, and the mosque was inaugurated on 21 June 1995. Saudi Arabia was the principal funder, with contributions from other Muslim-majority countries.
The design is by the Italian architect Paolo Portoghesi with engineer Vittorio Gigliotti and Iraqi architect Sami Moussawi. According to Rome's tourism board, it draws on several traditions at once: the many-columned mosques of the Maghreb and Cordoba, the Ottoman model associated with Sinan and the Persian pattern of courtyards and open spaces, together with Roman materials and craft. Turismo Roma describes the complex, which covers about 30,000 square metres, as the largest mosque in Europe.
Beyond prayer, the mosque serves Muslims across Rome and Italy: it hosts Friday sermons and Ramadan gatherings, celebrates Islamic marriages and supports families with funerals and the repatriation of remains, according to Rome's tourism board. The Islamic Cultural Centre also runs language courses, making the complex a social and educational hub as well as a place of worship.
Muslim visitors can join daily or Friday prayers, and the mosque is a centre for community gatherings during Ramadan and the two Eids. Non-Muslim visitors interested in the architecture should arrange a visit in advance through the centre, following the procedure it publishes.
Allow time to appreciate the prayer hall's play of light and the details of the decoration, and combine your trip with the green spaces of northern Rome, such as the nearby Villa Ada park.
The building can be appreciated year-round. Visitors other than worshippers should avoid prayer times, especially the Friday midday prayer, and expect visits to be limited during Ramadan and Islamic holidays. Spring and autumn are pleasant for combining the trip with a walk in the surrounding parks.
Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
The mosque lies in the Acqua Acetosa area of northern Rome, near the Parioli residential district and sports grounds, and close to the large Villa Ada park. It is well away from the main sights, so most visitors come by taxi or public transport from the centre. The Flaminio area and Piazza del Popolo are the closest parts of the historic centre.
Italy · 2 nights4★ HotelItaly · 7 nights4★ HotelItaly · 7 nights4★ HotelThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 27 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
