Djamaa el Djazaïr

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For the historic Great Mosque of Algiers founded in the 11th century, see Djamaa el Kebir.
Djamaa el Djazaïr
جامع الجزائر الأعظم.jpg
General information
StatusComplete
TypeMosque
Architectural styleIslamic architecture,
Modern architecture.
LocationAlgiers, Algeria
Coordinates36°44′09″N 3°08′17″E / 36.73583°N 3.13806°E / 36.73583; 3.13806 (Jemma Al Djazair)Coordinates: 36°44′09″N 3°08′17″E / 36.73583°N 3.13806°E / 36.73583; 3.13806 (Jemma Al Djazair)
Construction started16 August 2012
Completed29 April 2019
Cost898 million Euros
OwnerMinistry of Religious Affairs
Height
Roof70 metres (230 ft)
Top floor265 metres (870 ft)
Technical details
Floor count37
Design and construction
ArchitectChina State Construction Engineering

Djamaa el Djazaïr (Arabic: جامع الجزائر), also known as the Great Mosque of Algiers (French: Grande mosquée d'Alger), is a mosque in Algiers, Algeria. It houses the world's tallest minaret and is the third-largest mosque in the world after the Great Mosque of Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi of Medina in Saudi Arabia.[1][2][3]

History[]

The construction of the mosque began in August 2012 after the Algerian government's contract, for 1 billion euros, was won by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation. The design was done by German architects KSP Juergen Engel Architekten and engineers Krebs und Kiefer International and was completed by April 2019.[4] The mosque faced construction delays owing to budgetary concerns due to the falling prices of oil. Around 2,300 workers from China, Algeria and other African countries were deployed to work on the project. The construction of the mosque was seen by many to serve as a symbol of the reign of long-serving president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.[5][6][7]

Architecture[]

The mosque sits on a site covering 400,000 m2 (4,300,000 sq ft) and overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The prayer hall has a capacity of 37,000 worshippers, while the structure including the compound can house up to 120,000 worshippers and has parking space for 7,000 cars. The complex also houses a Quran(قرآن) school, a park, a library, staff housing area, a fire station, a museum of Islamic art, and a research centre on the history of Algeria.[5]

The mosque also has a 265 m (869 ft) tall minaret, which makes it the tallest building in Africa.[8] It also houses an observation deck atop the minaret, which has 37 floors. The mosque is designed to withstand an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 and the structure has been specially processed to resist corrosion. The main prayer hall has 618 octagonal columns serving as support pillars and 6 km (3.7 mi) of calligraphic writing engraved with a laser system. The dome of the prayer hall has a diameter of 50 m (160 ft) and rises to a height of 70 m (230 ft).[9]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Algeria builds giant mosque with world's tallest minaret". The Guardian. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Bouteflika's mosque seen as monument to megalomania in Algeria". Arab News. 16 April 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  3. ^ "La Grande Mosquée d'Alger, le chantier de trop du président déchu Abdelaziz Bouteflika". Le Monde.fr. Le Monde. 3 April 2019. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  4. ^ Dahir, Abdi Latif. "Africa's largest mosque has been completed with thanks to China". Quartz Africa. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved Feb 25, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Africa's largest mosque has been completed with thanks to China". Quartz. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Bouteflika's mosque seen as monument to megalomania". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on 2019-05-07. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  7. ^ "The Biggest Mosque in Africa is Now in Algeria, Not Morocco". Morocco World News. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  8. ^ "2019 was record-breaking year for supertall skyscrapers". dezeen.com. 17 Jan 2020. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Great Mosque of Algiers: an architectural masterpiece and a religious and cultural monument". Algeria Press Service. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2019.

External links[]

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