🇶🇦 Doha, Qatar
Less obvious places with unique local character. Explore 8 curated stops in Doha, including Katara Cultural Village, Katara Mosque, and Katara Amphitheater. Highlights include Katara Cultural Village, rated 4.6/5 by 2,769 visitors.
8 places in this collection
8 places in this collection
This building complex is designed to resemble a traditional Qatari village, and includes a large open-air amphitheater, opera house, drama theater, galleries, as well as a number of (expensive) restaurants featuring international cuisine. The galleries host changing art and photography exhibits, and various festivals are held here throughout the year.
Katara Masjid is one of the most beautiful Masjids in Qatar. Designed by globally-known Turkish mosque designer, Zainab Fadil Oglu. The decorations of the Masjid of Katara were designed by a te m of restoration specialists from Dolma Palace in Istanbul. The mosque features an outer surface garnished with turquoise and purple mosaic, and a wonderful interior design that adds even more glamour. The interior and exterior architectural designs, together with the minaret, the dome, and the prayer niche (mihrab) are all inspired by several famous mosques found in various cities and capitals of the Muslim world. In addition to these notable aspects, the masjid abounds with artistic handicrafts, such as ornaments, inscriptions, and mosaic tiles.
The gem of the cultural village, the Katara Amphitheatre is a crafted balance between the classical Greek theatre concept and the everlasting Islamic features. It stands firm in the heart of Katara, under the clear blue sky, overlooking the radiant blue sea. Completed in the year 2008, this 3,275 sqm landmark, pays tribute to the great tradition of the unique architectural style associated with amphitheatres and is set to host some of the most spectacular world-class events in Doha. Katara Amphitheatre was officially opened on 11 December 2011 with a spectacular concert especially created by legendary Vangelis and featuring world-renowned stars like Angela Gheorghiou, Roberto Alagna and Jeremy Irons. The seating capacity of the theatre is 5,000 persons.
The Force of Nature II at the Katara Amphitheatre is a large bronze sculpture by Lorenzo Quinn depicting Mother Nature as a woman hurling the planet in circles.
The Golden Masjid was garnished with extremely small golden chips, and it represents Ottoman style. Katara offers, in masjids, several religious programs and a series of religious lectures delivered by a group of prominent and esteemed religious scholars. Katara also organizes advanced courses in Quran memorization that are widely attended by a considerable number of children from different age groups. Such courses bear significance because they instill the virtuous values and the good manners of the Holy Quran.
The Pearl Island, is an artificial island spanning nearly four square kilometers. It is the first land in Qatar to be available for freehold ownership by foreign nationals. As of 2018, there are 27,000 residents. Once fully completed, The Pearl will create over 32 kilometers of new coastline, for use as a residential estate with an expected 18,831 dwellings and 45,000 residents by 2018. Developed by United Development Company and planned by architecture and design firm Callison, the island is located 350 meters offshore of Doha's West Bay Lagoon area. The artificial peninsula was built by the firm DEME Group, and was completed before the start of the Asian Olympic Games taking place in Doha in 2006. The reputable international marine expert engineer Jasper Verstreepen was part of the project team.
Designed by Rem Koolhaas, the diamond shaped exterior of the library belies its spacious interior, which prioritizes light and visibility. The bookshelves themselves are an integral part of the building, rising out of the floor and blending into the architecture. Innovative technologies are seamlessly integrated throughout the building, enhancing accessibility and efficiency.
Education City is a development in Al Rayyan. Developed by the Qatar Foundation, the 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) property houses various educational facilities, including satellite campuses of eight international universities. The Education City Mosque is located in the Minaretein building which rests on five large columns representing the five pillars of Islam. The mosque can host up to 2,800 worshippers in its interior and exterior spaces. In addition, the building houses the College of Islamic Studies, which is an entity of Hamad Bin Khalifa University.
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