Blue mosaics
Added in 2011.
Marinelson Almeida - Traveling through Brazil from Niteroi, Brasil — CC BY 2.0 · Wilfredor — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eugenio Hansen, OFS — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eugenio Hansen, OFS — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in the São Francisco district of Curitiba's historic centre was founded in May 1972 by Arab immigrants, mostly from Lebanon, who reached the city in the 1950s and 60s. It was designed by the engineer Kamal David Curi, a Christian of Arab descent, drawing on Moorish architecture. The mosque has a round central dome that works as a natural sound amplifier, two minarets, horseshoe arches and symmetrical columns, and in 2011 it gained Iranian mosaics in shades of blue showing the sky, flowers and stars, alongside Qur'anic calligraphy inside. It is known for bringing Sunni and Shia Muslims together in prayer under one roof since its founding, a case researchers describe as rare in Brazil. The mosque welcomes visitors free of charge at set times, weekday mornings and Sunday around midday according to sources, so check before going; dress modestly and respect prayer times. The historic district around it is good for a stroll, and the Sunday Largo da Ordem fair is nearby.
Added in 2011.
Natural acoustics.
Sunni and Shia together.
Rua Kellers, São Francisco district, historic centre, Curitiba
Yes, the mosque welcomes visitors free of charge at set times; check them before going and dress modestly.
Arab immigrants, mostly from Lebanon, in 1972, to a design by the engineer Kamal David Curi.
