Visit Central Oxford Mosque, the Largest Mosque in Oxford

As well as the many colleges, museums, and souvenir shops in Oxford, did you also know Oxford has its own high street? Cowley Road is a diverse and bustling high street, with loads of restaurants, shops, and colourful graffiti art. Cuisines you’ll find here include Turkish and Chinese. It’s also home to Central Oxford Mosque and an o2 Academy, the latter I didn’t discover until I walked past it.

Therefore, as well as touring the city centre, it is worth stopping by here as well (in the day). But its best avoided at night, as it can get quite sketchy based on what this article has to say. But don’t let this put you off though…

Central Oxford Mosque’s ‘Redbrick’ Design

When you arrive on Manzil Way, the mosque’s minaret and tower stand out from amongst the trees. It is a remarkable structure, and it is only when you get up close to it you realise how massive it is. The design of Central Oxford Mosque is reminiscent to that of redbrick universities (think Birmingham University, Nottingham University), because of the bright orange bricks used and dark brown minaret. In some ways, redbrick buildings in the UK symbolise education, which is ideal for Oxford, a city of education.

Fendi Patterns in the Mosque Prayer Rooms

The prayer rooms are spanned over two floors, with separate facilities for men and women. While the outside of the mosque was redbrick, the prayer rooms were very different. For the prayer room downstairs, the carpet was red, with green prayer spaces that had intricate patterns on them. The walls were made of white marble, and at the front there was some Arabic art. Some of the patterns reminded me of Fendi.  

The roof and minaret of the mosque has been hollowed out to house the upstairs prayer room. In contrast, the upstairs prayer room had light green carpets, giving the room a more minimalist design. No Fendi patterns here though. Nevertheless, the carpet, and white marble walls and pillars, created a tranquil atmosphere. Especially when it was empty, outside of prayer times.

When you’re in the upstairs prayer room, don’t forget to look at the ceiling too. There, you will see prayers and some intricate patterns on the inside of the minaret. The emerald green colour scheme goes well with the carpet, and it shines out from amongst the white walls.

How to Get to Central Oxford Mosque

Central Oxford Mosque is located near the East Oxford Health Centre on Manzil Way, a small quiet residential street off Cowley Road.  You can either get to the mosque using several bus routes that go down Cowley Road, or by foot. Usually, going by bus is the quicker option, as it is quite out of the way of the Oxford City Centre. But sometimes, the bus gets caught in traffic, so it may be a good idea to walk some of it too. Plus, walking gives you the chance to see the vibrant graffiti art on some of the streets too.  

Oxford Central Mosque Facilities and Programmes

The facilities in this mosque were outstanding. The Wudu facilities were well maintained, and I liked the open plan in there. Furthermore, in the mosque foyer, you can find posters and information boards with details on events and talks the mosque run throughout the year. I believe they also do tutoring classes for GCSE students, run by Oxford University students. There are also madrasah classes for children, which you can find out more information for on the notice boards or by getting in contact with the Committee.

Verdict

Overall, I think Central Oxford Mosque is one of many places of education in Oxford. I loved this mosque, because of the intricate art inside, and the people were really friendly too. Along with visiting Westgate, and the many colleges and museums, I definitely recommend visiting Cowley Road to see the Mosque too.

To find out more about Central Oxford Mosque:

http://www.centraloxfordmosque.org.uk/Default.aspx#

Follow Central Oxford Mosque’s Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/CentralOxfordMosque

Directions to Central Oxford Mosque: