Mezquita del Este
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| Mezquita del Este | |
|---|---|
Mezquita Alkhaulafa Al-Rashdeen | |
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Ciudad del Este, Alto Paraná, |
| Country | Paraguay |
  Location in Paraguay | |
 | |
| Administration | Comunidad Árabe Islámica del Paraguay |
| Geographic coordinates | 25°31′20″S 54°36′37″W / 25.52233°S 54.61022°W |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Héctor Duré (engineer) |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | Islamic architecture |
| Groundbreaking | April 2011 |
| Completed | November 2015 |
| Construction cost | US$1 million[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | c. 650 worshippers |
| Dome | 1 |
| Dome height (outer) | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Minaret | 2 |
| Minaret height | 35 m (115 ft) |
| Site area | 3,500 m2 (38,000 sq ft) |
The Mezquita del Este (Spanish: Mezquita Alkhaulafa Al-Rashdeen; Arabic: مسجد الخلفاء الراشدين, romanized: Masjid al-Khulafā al-Rāshidīn), is a mosque and Islamic cultural center located in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. It serves as both a house of worship and a cultural hub for the Muslim community in the Triple Frontier region.[2]
Construction of the mosque began in April 2011, led by engineer Héctor Duré, funded entirely by the local Arab-Islamic community, of approximately 7,000 members in Ciudad del Este and about 20,000 across the Triple Frontier.[3][4]
After roughly four years of construction, the mosque was inaugurated on 3 November 2015 by Paraguay’s president Horacio Cartes, with attendance by Arab diplomats.[5][6]
Architecture
The mosque showcases traditional Islamic architectural features-including a prominent dome constructed from reinforced concrete—and two towering 35-metre (115 ft) minarets, one with an elevator, the other with a staircase, connecting all four levels.[7]
The subsurface level serves as a car park for up to 45 vehicles.[1] The interior uses materials imported from Saudi Arabia and China, contrasting with locally sourced structural work and Paraguayan craftsmanship.[8]
It includes gender-specific prayer areas: a main hall for men (450–500 worshippers) and a mezzanine for women (approx. 150 worshippers).[9]
Gallery
View of the mosque’s façade
Approach with dome and minaret
Another exterior angle showing dome and towers
