Hukuru Miskiy & Munnaaru (Malé City)

Hukuru Miskiiy built in 1658 and the minaret adjacent to the mosque built in 1675 are the oldest built structures in Male’ today. In addition to being the most revered center of worship for many centuries, Hukuru Miskiiy is of great cultural and historical significance to the Maldives and stands witness to the skills of Maldivian craftsmen of the time.

The mosque is built with interlocking coral blocks that are adorned with intricate coral carvings. The roof is supported by cut coral columns and its vaulted, decorated ceiling fashioned by master carpenters. Its interiors contain masterpieces of traditional Maldivian woodcarving and lacquer work.

The area adjacent to the mosque contains a 17th-century graveyard with intricately carved tombstones and tombs. The tombstones with rounded tops mark the graves of women and the ones with the pointed tops mark the graves of men. Gilded inscriptions on the tombstones indicate that the grave belongs to royalty.

Hukuru Miskiiy was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008 for its unique architecture, its unparalleled historic tradition and the tongue-in-groove technique of its stone structure, which demonstrates a highly developed building technique for the period of its construction. According to the assessment made by UNESCO "The architecture, construction and accompanying artistry of the mosque and its other structures represent the creative excellence and achievement of the Maldivian people".