Hassan II Mosque
Hassan II Mosque is a huge mosque named after King Hassan in Casablanca on the Atlantic coast. Justifiably hailed as a triumph of faith and artistic excellence, it was inaugurated in August 1993, after 6 years of construction. It was built by 25,000 workers who spent 50 million man-hours. It is the second largest mosque in the world (after the Meccan mosque), with the highest minaret (200 meters). The stunning location of the mosque – on the shore of the ocean, with waves crashing at its foot, was obviously predetermined by the words of the Koran: “His throne rested on the water.”
General Information
The statistics are impressive: 65 thousand tons of marble were used for the construction, 2500 columns were erected and 50 Venetian lamps delivered from Italy were installed. The laser beam beaming from the minaret can be seen 50 kilometers away. The prayer hall of the mosque can accommodate 100 thousand worshippers, that is the size of a decent airport. The whole structure costs about 400 million pounds and was built mainly on donations. Its contribution (sometimes involuntary) made every Moroccan, receiving in return a certificate; these certificates can often be seen posted in homes and stores.
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White marble, covered with green tiles, the mosque from afar seems like a mirage hanging over the city. Up close, however, the masterly stone carving, multicolored tiles, cedar roof elements are striking – during the construction many craft traditions that had been dormant for centuries were revived. An ancient plastering technique called tadelakt was used in the construction of spacious hammam baths: a plaster resistant to moisture is obtained by mixing black soap, egg yolks and gypsum. Tradition is complemented by modern technology: the roof covering the huge prayer hall is movable – in sunny weather worshippers pray in the open air, and in rain the roof is closed. Boulevard Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah. Access is by “small cab”. Access for non-Muslims only with a guided tour: Sat-Thurs 9.00, 10.00 and 11.00. The duration of the tour is 1 hour. There is a fee to enter.
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