Minaret facts for kids

A mosque in Aswan, Egypt with its two tall minarets

A muezzin calling to prayer, painted by Jean-Léon Gérôme

A minaret is a tall, slender tower that is usually part of a mosque. Mosques are places where Muslim people worship. Minarets are special because they are used to call Muslims to prayer five times a day. A person called a muezzin stands at the top of the minaret and chants the call to prayer, known as the adhan.

What is a Minaret?

A minaret is a type of tower found in Islamic architecture. Most mosques have at least one minaret, but some have many. These towers are often very tall and can be seen from far away. They are an important part of a mosque's design and help people know where the mosque is.

Why are Minarets Important?

Minarets have a very important job. They are used by the muezzin to make the call to prayer. This call reminds Muslims that it is time to pray. The muezzin's voice can travel far from the top of the minaret, reaching people in the surrounding area. This tradition has been happening for hundreds of years.

How Minarets Look

Minarets come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are round, some are square, and some have many sides. They can be made from different materials like stone or brick. Many minarets have beautiful decorations and patterns carved into them. Near the top, there is usually a balcony or platform where the muezzin stands. Above this, there is often a small dome or a pointy top with a metal decoration called a finial.

Inside a Minaret

To get to the top of a minaret, there is usually a spiral staircase inside. Some older minarets, like the Giralda in Seville, have ramps instead of stairs. This was sometimes done so that a person could ride a donkey up to the top! The inside of a minaret can be quite narrow and dark, but the view from the top is often amazing.

Famous Minarets Around the World

Many famous mosques have impressive minarets.

• The Kalyan Minaret in Bukhara was built in 1127. It is very old and tall.
• The Qutb Minar in Delhi is another famous minaret. It has beautiful carvings and balconies.
• The Taj Mahal in Agra has four elegant minarets around its main building. They were built in 1643.
• The Kutubiyya Mosque in Marrakesh has a large, square minaret built in the 12th century.
• The Selimiye Mosque in Edirne has four of the tallest Ottoman minarets, built in 1574.

These examples show how minarets are not just functional but also beautiful works of art.

Images for kids

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  Minaret at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

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  An orientalist depiction of the muezzin's call to prayer from the balcony of a minaret, 1878. Usually only one muezzin chants the azan from the balcony, back straight and not leaning on the railing.

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  Kalyan Minaret (left) in Bukhara (1127)

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  One of the minarets of the Taj Mahal in Agra (1643)

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  Minaret of the al-Maridani Mosque (1340), the earliest example of a style repeated in later Mamluk minarets

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  Minaret of the Kutubiyya Mosque in Marrakesh (second half of 12th century)

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  The Selimiye Mosque in Edirne (1574), which features the four tallest Ottoman minarets

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  Inside the stairway of a minaret in Mostar

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  Inside the Giralda minaret in Seville, which has ascending ramps instead of stairs

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  An ornate balcony at the Qutb Minar in Delhi

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  Example of a lantern structure at the top of a minaret at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore

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  Example of a metal finial in Istanbul

See also

In Spanish: Alminar para niños