Top 10 Most Beautiful Mosques in Africa
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| Illustrated picture. Photo: Mixi |
The mosques here are not so colorful, nor are filled with glass panes like those in Iran or covered with intricate tile work like those in Central Asia, but rather they evoke something more subtle in a way that keeps the main purpose of the structure, which is spiritual contemplation to reflect in every aspect of the architecture.
Take a look at these exquisite photos of some of the finest mosques in Africa.
The List of 10 Most Beautiful Mosques in Africa
1. Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco
2. Great Mosque of Kairouan, Tunisia
3. Great Mosque Of Djenné, Mali
4. Alabaster Mosque, Egypt
5. Koutoubia Mosque, Morocco
6. Nizamiye Mosque, Midrand, South Africa
7. Abuja National Mosque, Abuja, Nigeria
8. Chinguetti Mosque, Mauritania
9. Soofie Mosque, Ladysmith, South Africa
10. Massalikul Jinaan mosque, Senegal
Which are the Most Beautiful Mosques in Africa?
1. Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco
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| Photo: Askideas.com |
Hassan II Mosque in Morocco is a flamboyant building, built at an enormous expense to commemorate the former king’s 60th birthday. Set on an outcrop jutting over the ocean and with a 210m-tall minaret that serves as the city’s major landmark. It is a showcase of the very best Moroccan artisanship; hand-carved stone and wood, intricate marble flooring and inlay, gilded cedar ceilings and exquisite zellij (colourful ceramic tiling) abound. Multilanguage guided tours of the interior are conducted outside prayer times for modestly clad visitors.
The mosque is commonly thought to be the world’s third-largest mosque after those in Mecca and Medina, and can accommodate 25,000 worshippers. Built and partially funded by King Hassan II (the remaining funds were gathered through a somewhat controversial public subscription process). The mosque complex was designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, took six years to build and was completed in 1993. Its dramatic location overhanging the ocean waves echoes verse from the Quran, which states that God’s throne was built upon the water. Believers pray on a centrally heated floor, and can see the Atlantic breaking over the rocks underneath the glass floor in the basement and feel the sunlight through the retractable roof.
2. Great Mosque of Kairouan, Tunisia
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| Photo: Trip |
The Great Mosque of Kairouan in Tunisia is the oldest Muslim place of worship in Africa, over a millennia, founded in the year 670 — illustrates the mixed influences of pre-Islamic, Roman, and Byzantine architecture. The Great Mosque, also known as the Uqba Mosque, is at the heart of the city’s heritage. Standing at the nexus of 15 different thoroughfares, in the center of the country between the mountains and the sea, it is considered the fourth holiest site in Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.
The structure is part of an expansive complex, the mosque itself covering 10,800 square meters (115,660 square feet). Within, there is a prayer room with 17 naves supported by carved columns, as well as the finely decorated mihrab, a special niche indicating the direction of mecca, outfitted in marble panels and luster tiles covered in floral patterns. There is also a pool, known as the Old Cistern (Al-Majal al-Qadim), and what is said to be the oldest surviving minbar—a finely carved wooden pulpit of Asian teak. Outside, there is a decorated flagstone courtyard and towering, three-story minaret, reminiscent of Roman lighthouses. At 32 meters (104 feet), it remains one of the city’s highest structures. The mosque’s architecture reflects features of pre-Islamic and Eastern Islamic art, as well as later Roman and Byzantine influences. The design has served as a model for many other Maghreb mosques.
3. Great Mosque Of Djenné, Mali
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| Photo: ThisIsAfrica.me |
Considered by many architects to be the epitome of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style, it is one of the most famous mosques in the world. Though the mosque has a history that dates back several centuries, the present structure dates back to 1907 AD.
Since the construction of the present structure, it continues to hold on to the title of being the largest mud brick structure on the planet. While many historic mosques across Mali have given way to modernization, the Great Mosque of Djenné has resisted it, to much of an extent mainly due to the support from the citizens, thereby retaining much of its historical value. There is even a replica of the mosque known as the Mosquée Missiri in the French town of Fréjus.
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4. Alabaster Mosque, Egypt
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| Photo: TripAdvisor |
Commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha, this 19th century mosque sits on the summit of a citadel in Cairo. The mosque rises from the skyline of Cairo and is one of its most noticeable monuments that can be seen from far and wide.
Also known as the Great Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha, it was made by the Pasha in memory of his oldest son, Tusun who died in 1816. Unlike other major mosques across North Africa that carry heavy influence from Arab architecture, this mosque carries heavy resemblance to Ottoman mosques. This can be seen in its archetypical Ottoman minarets, and a central dome that is surrounded by other small and semicircular domes. The Albaster mosque was modeled after the Yeni mosque in Istanbul.
5. Koutoubia Mosque, Morocco
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| Photo: Lonely Planet |
Bedecked with pointed merlons, curved windows, decorative arches, this mosque’s splendor never fails to impress. Adding to its aesthetic value are the gardens that adorn the piazza. The mosque was built by the Al Mohads, who in the city of Marakkesh built this mosque that was accompanied by a towering minaret. The mosque went on to inspire other structures like the Hassan Tower of Rabat and the Giralda of Seville in Spain.
To build the mosque, craftsman were brought in from Andalusia, who brought with them novel ideas and construction techniques that made this mosque a forerunner in Moroccan-Andalusian architecture. Another noteworthy feature of the mosque is the exquisitely crafted mimbar that is made from sandalwood and ebony and carries ivory and silver inlay work.
6. Nizamiye Mosque, Midrand, South Africa
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| Photo: HelloTravel |
Nizamiye Masjid, often called the Nizamiye Mosque, is a mosque situated in the city of Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Built by a Turkish philanthropist, Nizamiye Masjid was completed in 2012 and is modelled on the 16 -century Ottoman Selimiye Camii mosque in Edirne, Turkey. All the marble, carpets, stained glass and ceramics used in the construction of the mosque were brought in from Turkey, and the intricate interior detailing was hand-painted.
The mosque has 21 domes. The main dome is framed by four towering minarets and rises 32m. More than 200 stained-glass windows decorate the building. The spectacular prayer hall can accommodate more than 3,000 people. In addition to the prayer hall, the main building also houses a small exhibition about Ottoman architecture, meeting rooms and a peaceful courtyard, all of which can be visited. Women will be provided with shawls to cover up and all visitors are asked to remove their shoes before entering the prayer hall. Within the Nizamiye complex there is also a school, clinic, Turkish supermarket, bakery, barber, bookshop, a carpet and ceramics store, and a Turkish restaurant. Don’t miss out on delicious Turkish delights and tea at the bakery afterwards, or if you have time, stay for lunch or dinner at the Ottoman Palace restaurant.
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7. Abuja National Mosque, Abuja, Nigeria
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| Photo: Trip.com |
The Abuja National Mosque, also known as the Nigerian National Mosque, is the national mosque of Nigeria, a country with a substantial Muslim population. This national mosque of Nigeria was built in 1984 & is open to non-Muslims, except during prayer. Ustadz Musa Mohammed is the chief Imam .This popular mosque is located in the capital city, Abuja, and is situated on Independence Avenue. It includes a library and a conference room centre capable of serving five hundred persons, the office for the Islamic Centre, and residential facilities for the imam and muezzin. It is considered by many as the most beautiful mosque in Nigeria.
8. Chinguetti Mosque, Mauritania
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| Photo: Travellerspoint |
Located in the oasis city of Chinguetti, this ancient mosque is believed to house one of the oldest minarets in continuous use on the continent. Its square minaret is its most noticeable feature that highlights the unmortarted, split stone masonry prowess, the locals had developed. One will find the mosque to lack much adornment, but it is in its simplicity that its beauty lies.
9. Soofie Mosque, Ladysmith, South Africa
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| Photo: Flickr |
Soofie Mosque was built in 1969 the graceful Soofie Mosque is regarded as one of the finest in the country. Its fine filigree stonework, scalloped archways, proud turrets and distinctive minarets – architectural features of Islamic mosques that look like tall spires – makes it visually appealing and sought after by photographers.
This is a famous mosque in the country, known locally as the Soofie Masjid (mosque), the origins of the marvellous religious building date back to 1895 when Hadrat (also spelt Hazrath) Soofie Saheb, regarded as an important Muslim mystic, arrived in South Africa. He made it his mission to build as many as 12 mosques along the eastern inland seaboard of Durban as he could within 15 years.
10. Massalikul Jinaan mosque, Senegal
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| Photo: BBC |
At over $33 million (€30 million), the new Massalikul Jinaan mosque was completed in September 2019 by the Mouride Brotherhood. It is the largest in West Africa capable of holding 15,000 worshippers inside, and another 15,000 on an outside esplanade. The name is derived from the title of a poem by Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacke, the 19th-century founder of the Brotherhood and revered as a saint.
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