The Islamic cultural center in Qatar stands out with its architecture that combines traditional and modern

The center, which was opened in 2006 by the Qatar Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and is popularly known as "Fanar," is named after Qatar's first chief judge and religious scholar Abdullah bin Zayd al-Mahmud.

While the center in question attracts tourists' attention with its architecture, it is also one of the most important attractions of the country with its cultural and religious activities.

The center undertakes the mission of introducing Islamic culture and strengthening social dialogue to both local people and foreign visitors to the country.

The most striking feature of the Fanar, which stands out with its architecture, is its spiral minaret. This architectural style is reminiscent of the minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra in Iraq, dating back to the 9th century in Islamic history.

Built by the Turks during the Abbasid period, the Samarra Mosque was one of the most important religious buildings of its time with its spiral architecture.

Similarly, the spiral minaret of the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo, built in the 9th century by Ahmed ibn Tulun, a Turk of Turkish origin and founder of the Tulunid state, is another example that inspired Fanar's design.

With these features, the center adds traces of the past to Qatar's modern silhouette.

The center stands out not only with its visual splendor but also with the cultural and religious activities it carries out.

The center also hosts Islamic invitation activities, Arabic courses, Islamic history seminars, Quran and hadith lessons, cultural exhibitions and public panels, and also organizes events that enable dialogue and information sharing with guests from different religions.

The library and exhibition halls it houses aim to provide visitors with a rich content by maintaining the function of madrasahs and libraries in Islamic history in a modern way.

With its spiral minaret and lighting, the center is one of Doha's most photographed structures and is visited by thousands of tourists every year.

The cultural center, which introduces Islam's messages of tolerance and peace to the world and hosts thousands of people every year, operates with Qatar's open invitation approach and continues to introduce the country's religious heritage to the world with a modern understanding.