Moroccan Mosques: Art of Mosques
The Hassan II Mosque exterior pattern in Casablanca, Morocco
Morocco is a Muslim country, and mosques are some of the entire buildings in the country. They are in every city, town, and community. There are hundreds of mosques throughout the country, and they are aesthetically gratifying. These mosques are all designed based on Islamic architecture artwork. Most mosques in Morocco have tall minaret towers, where you will hear the call for prayer,” Athan.”
Many mosques incorporate different types of mosaic decor, “called zellij. Thus, they are wonderfully decorated. The mosque wall and “Mihrab,” a niche facing Mecca, are mostly decorated using the” Zrllij.” It is where the Imam leads the prayers. However, The Mihrab place is mainly decorated in stucco and marble. Moroccan mosques reflect the true expression of Islamic artifacts and design. This, in turn, play a significant influencer in Moroccan architecture.
Moroccan Mosques: Koutoubia Mosque
Koutoubia Mosque is one of the ancient mosques in Morocco. It is the most famous historical site of worship and the largest in the city of Marrakesh. It is located in the city center.
This ancient mosque is well decorated with:
- Ceramic strip
- Curved windows,
- Pointed merlons
- Some of the most ancient stylish arches.
- A large square garden is attached to the mosque, which is beautifully lit at night.
It was constructed and established in the 12 century. It is the era of Almohad’s age and during the time of the Berber Almohad Caliph Yaqub al-Mansour, 1184-1199. The Almoravid first built it; when Almohad came, they decided to destroy it and rebuild it. This was to make sure the mosque was facing the mecca direction correctly.
Throughout history, the mosque was surrounded by booksellers—this where its name Koutoubia was, originated. This mosque structure is an excellent example of Moorish architecture, especially with its keystone arches and decorative stonework. The mosque is rose-coloured. Thus, it is well blended with the rest of the city’s buildings and gives it a distinctive style and design. This is because all buildings in Marrakech are coloured, similar to the Koutoubia mosque.
Here are some quick facts about Kautobia Mosque
- The minaret is two hundred and fifty-two feet high.
- The tower has a pink rock wall decorated with floral motifs and four copper.
- It has identical and well-designed naves, a substantial central nave and sixteen parallel.
- It is a symbol of Marrakesh as It reflects the ultimate building of its kind.
- Inside it are one-hundred and twelve columns in the space of 58,000 square feet.
- The tower used to be decorated with blue, blue-green, and white shades at the top. This was before the current design and colour.
Moroccan Mosques: Hassan II Mosque
- Hassan II Mosque in Morocco is one of the biggest in the world. It is a massive and the most beautiful mosque worldwide.
- In 1986, it was started to be built. Its construction was finished on August 30th, 1993. This date represents the eve of the prophet Muhammad’s birthday celebration.
- Six thousand prominent artisans participated in building this mosque. The artisans and workers worked tirelessly around the clock non-stop.
- The artisans designing and working this mosque were carefully picked. This was based on their excellent artwork skills.
- The artisans follow the most delicate details and use the finest materials. This is to ensure the mosque reflects the best one built not just in Morocco but also worldwide.
- It is one of the world’s most prominent, tallest and most unique buildings in Morocco. Its minaret is 210 metres.
- The mosque reflects one of the most attractive designs in the world. It is one of the iconic places you would want to visit.
- Non-Muslims are welcome to visit the mosque with a team excursion. Thus, it is strongly advised to wear a respectful outfit to get into its amenities and the prayer hall.
To gives the mosque a striking and stunning architectural phenomenon, some of the finest materials are used to build it.
These include:
- Marble from Agadir city
- Cedar timber from the Middle Atlas Mountains.
- Exquisitely carved wood.
- Luxurious zellij tiles and Elegant plasterwork.
- Smooth walls that that is full of artistic work
Moroccan Mosques: Tin Mall Mosque
Some quick facts about this mosque:
- Tin Mall is a small village in the mountain of High Atlas. It is about 100 km from Marrakesh, a fantastic ancient site. Its design will indeed connect with its history.
- It is dated back to the 1100s, and Ibn Tumart of the Almohads developed this historic city. The Muslims from the East and Andalusian influenced the overall design of the mosque.
- It was built in 1156 in honour of Ibn Tumart. In 1270, this town was destroyed, and all that was left was the Tin Mall mosque.
- It used to be the cultural and spiritual center of the empire of Almohads until the Merinid dynasty.
- It was completely renovated and restored and has been preserved since 1990. Thus, It is open to non-muslin to visit.
- It is a fascinating place to visit. Inside the mosque, you will find the mihrab, the wall niche facing Mecca, where the Imam leads the prayers.
- There is a minaret Above the mihrab, which is out of the norm. This is because the tower is always built separately from where the mihrab is. This gives the mosque a distinct touch, as this is very unusual.
- There are many decorative elements and very appealing artworks incorporated by the designers of this mosque. It is vaulted pillars, moulded or carved stucco, and almost all geometric motifs.