bahrainthismonth.com | NOVEMBER 2026 ITALY IN BAHRAIN 24 The Touch Italy’s connections with Bahrain extend well beyond the familiar worlds of fashion and food. Across the Kingdom, Italian craftsmanship and expertise have played a role in landmark buildings and major infrastructure. Marble Underfoot At Al Fateh Grand Mosque, marble sourced from Italy covers the floors and sections of the interior walls, contributing to the grandeur of a space capable of accommodating thousands of worshippers. The stone is one element of an interior drawing on materials and workmanship from around the world. Its vast dome is made of fibreglass, the principal chandelier was produced in Austria and its doors were crafted from Indian teak. The Italian marble takes its place among these international contributions to one of Bahrain’s most prominent religious landmarks. Mosaic by Mosaic At Al Fadhel Mosque in old Manama, specialists from Italy helped restore its historic minaret. The project brought the Rome-based Centro di Conservazione Archeologica (CCA) together with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities. Led by conservation specialist Roberto Nardi, the CCA team spent almost four years on the restoration. Archival photographs were studied to establish the minaret’s original appearance and decorative patterns before its intricate exterior could be reconstructed. More than two million pieces of mosaic, stained glass and Buccino marble were used in the process. The restoration involved 35 CCA team members, while preparations included work in Venice to reproduce elements required for the mosaics. The painstaking restoration applied Italian conservation skills to recovering the details of a Bahraini landmark that has long formed part of Manama’s streetscape. An Italian Vision The Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali was conceived by Italian designer and architect Mattia Del Prete and Cristiano Rosponi. Inaugurated in December 2021, the cathedral can accommodate around 2,300 people. Its tent-shaped design draws inspiration from the biblical tent of meeting, with an octagonal dome rising above the interior. Del Prete and Rosponi translated that reference into the architecture of a cathedral built for the Catholic community in Bahrain. The cathedral’s foundation stone adds a direct connection with Rome. Taken from the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, it was gifted to the faithful of Arabia and incorporated into a building conceived by Italian designers thousands of kilometres away.
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