Faisal Mosque is located in Islamabad, Pakistan on the foothills of Margalla Hills.The Mosque features a contemporary design consisting of eight sides of concrete shell and is inspired by a tent of nomads in the Arabian Desert. The Mosque is a major tourist attraction, and is referred as a contemporary and influential feature of Islamic architecture.Construction of the mosque began in 1976 after a $120 million grant from Saudi King Faisal, whose name the Mosque bears. The unconventional design by Turkish Architect Vedat Dalokay was selected after an international competition. Without a typical dome, the mosque is shaped like a tent, surrounded by four 260 feet (79 m) tall minarets. The design features eight-sided shell shaped sloping roofs forming a triangular worship hall which can hold 100,000 worshippers, while the surrounding porticoes and the courtyard up-to 200,000 more. Combined the structure cover an area of 54,000 square ft, the mosque dominates the landscape of Islamabad. It is situated at the north end of Faisal Avenue, putting it at the northernmost end of the city and at the foot of Margalla Hills, the westernmost foothills of the Himalayas.