Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca, Morocco
Posted by: 
MightyReek
N 33° 36.457 W 007° 38.000
29S E 626791 N 3719488
The largest mosque in Morocco and the 7th largest mosque in the world. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210 m (689 ft)
Waymark Code: WMD2XF
Location: Morocco
Date Posted: 11/11/2011
Views: 42
Built on reclaimed land, almost half of the surface of the mosque lies above sea water of the Atlantic. This was inspired by the verse of the Qur'an that states "the throne of Allah was built on water." Part of the floor is glass and offers a view down at the sea.
This feature was a result of King Hassan II declaring: "I want to build this mosque on the water, because God's throne is on the water. Therefore, the faithful who go there to pray, to praise the Creator on firm soil, can contemplate God's sky and ocean."
A spotlight shines in the direction of Mecca at night from the top of the minaret. The building also includes a number of other modern touches. It was built to withstand earthquakes and has heated floors, electric doors, and a sliding roof.
The mosque displays strong Moorish influence and the architecture of the building is similar to that of the Alhambra and the Great Mosque of Cordoba in Spain. This and the old Tin Mal Mosque are the only mosques in Morocco that are open to non-Muslim visitors. Anyone are welcome to buy a ticket to view the interior on hour-long guided tours departing several times daily.
All of the granite, plaster, marble, wood and other materials used in the construction, were taken from around Morocco, with the exception of some Italian white granite columns and glass chandeliers. Six thousand traditional Moroccan artisans worked for five years to create the abundant and beautiful mosaics, stone and marble floors and columns, sculpted plaster moldings, and carved and painted wood ceilings.
Type: Current mosque
Address:
Casablanca, Morocco
Website reference (required if no minaret or 2nd photo): [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Posting a photo of your visit is strongly encouraged but not required. There is NO requirement that you enter inside the mosque as some mosques may not allow this. Please refrain from taking pictures inside the mosque if it is not permitted by the management and generally have respect for the reliqious nature of the site.