The Hassan II Mosque is a distinguished religious monument, whose architecture dazzles the world, with its Andalusian minaret that rises to 210 meters (the elevator allows access to it), its tiles, mosaics, fountains and inscriptions that decorate the walls, plaques, columns and all the buildings adjoining this mosque, which covers an area of nine hectares.
The mosque, the largest in Morocco and the thirteenth in the world, was built on the initiative of the late King Hassan II, who wanted it as a witness of his time, so he called on all Moroccans to contribute, each according to his ability, to finance the process of its construction, which was supervised by the French company Bouygues, which had used the latest technology to build this distinctive architectural masterpiece. The Moroccans contributed 300 billion cents, while other countries provided loans to support the project, including Saudi Arabia.
The Hassan II Mosque, unlike many mosques in the world, overlooks the coast of Casablanca, the economic capital of Morocco. Indeed, a large part of it was built above the sea. In addition to the prayer hall, it includes an ablution room, toilets, a Koranic school, a library and a museum, as well as a roof that opens and closes automatically and indicates the direction of the qiblah with laser beams with a range of 30 kilometers.
The mosque was inspired in its design and construction by a group of ancient mosques that shaped Morocco’s early history, including the famous Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque in Fez, the Hassan Tower in Rabat, and the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, as well as the Giralda in Seville, built by the Almohad Sultan Yacoub Al-Mansour.
The work on the Hassan II Mosque lasted seven years, working day and night, with the help of more than two thousand workers and 10,000 artists and craftsmen, so that the mosque would be a witness to the greatness of the Kingdom, its history and its multiple cultures.
The Hassan II Mosque opened its doors in 1993, before all races and religions, tourists and residents of the city of Casablanca, and Morocco in general. It is necessary to visit this religious and touristic place which testifies to the greatness of a king like no other.
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