Crystal Mosque

Masjid Kristal was completed in 2008 on Pulau Wan Man, a small island in the Terengganu river, as the centrepiece of the Taman Tamadun Islam - the Islamic Heritage Park - and it is built of steel, glass and crystal so that the structure is largely transparent, with the frame visible through the skin and the whole thing lit in changing colours after dark, which is when most people photograph it. The park around it holds around twenty scale models of significant Islamic buildings from across the world, from the Taj Mahal to mosques in Iran, Uzbekistan and Africa, laid out along paths so you walk between them. It is a modern built attraction rather than a historic site, and it is quite openly that; the mosque itself is nonetheless functioning and holds prayers.

What to look for

• A glass and steel mosque - the frame visible through a transparent skin.
• Night colour lighting - the building lit in shifting colours after dark.
• Twenty scale monuments - models of Islamic buildings from around the world.
• A river island setting - the whole park on Pulau Wan Man.

When to go

All year; dusk to catch both daylight and the lighting. Two hours.

Good to know

It is a purpose-built attraction from 2008, not a historic mosque - come knowing that. The model park is dated in places. Robes are required for the mosque. Very hot in the middle of the day.

Nearby

Kuala Terengganu, the drawbridge and Chinatown are a short drive.

Key facts