The Kota Kinabalu City Mosque (Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu) is the second main mosque after State Mosque in Sembulan which overlooks the South China Sea on Likas Bay. It is not only the largest mosque in the city but also the most visually striking. The mosque is partially surrounded by a man-made lagoon. When viewed from afar, the building appears to look like it’s floating. This has given rise to the nickname “The Floating Mosque”.
The mosque was officially opened on 2 February 2000 following a proclamation of the city status of Kota Kinabalu. It is able to accommodate up to 12,000 worshipers at a time and can be entered by non-Muslims outside regular prayer times. The architectural design is based on the Nabawi Mosque. It features a classical style with four minarets and a grand blue-and-gold dome similar to Arabic architecture.
Photos by azimaffandi’s Instagram