The great mosque of kairouan is recognized as one of the most significant religious places in islam. Considered one of the most beautiful mosques in the country, this is a splendid example of islamic architecture, classified as a unesco world heritage site. In kairouan the great mosque was built in stages between 836 and 866. Established by the arab general uqba ibn nafi in the year 50 ah at the founding of the city of kairouan, the mosque occupies an area of over 9,000 square metres. Tunisia the great mosque of kairouan and the mausoleum of sida sahib the great mosque of kairouan, also known as the mosque of uqba, is one of the most important mosques in tunisia, situated in. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. In the 11 th century, kairouan was sacked by rival factions and thus spiraled towards its decline. Guide added an extra stop at another site, would have preferred to go get straight there. Its rich architectural heritage includes the great mosque, with its marble and. The great mosque had fifteen thoroughfares leading from it into a city that may have had a circular layout like baghdad, the capital of the islamic empire during kairouans heyday.
Although the original building dated to the muslim conquest of tunisia 7th century the present building dates to 836, with subsequent work done in 862, the early 11th century and 1294. Interior view of the portico located on the western side of the courtyard of the great mosque of kairouan, in tunisia. Great mosque of kairouan mosque in kairouan thousand. The great mosque in kairouan is one of the more important of the early congregational mosques.
The mosque of uqba also known as the great mosque of kairouan, is an early example of a hypostyle mosque that also reflects how preislamic and eastern islamic art and motifs were incorporated into the religious architecture of islamic north africa. Huge ochrecoloured walls surround the great mosque, which was built in the 7c and is considered to be one of the oldest in the maghreb. As you wander the grounds of the great mosque of kairouan in tunisia you are treading across over a millennia of history. The trip is doable as a day trip from most tourist resorts including hammamet, sousse and monastir.
Great mosque of kairouan kairouan, tunisia atlas obscura. As the city expanded during the following three hundred years, the original mosque was torn down and rebuilt in 703, again in 774, and then significantly enlarged by rulers of the aghlabid dynasty in 836 and 863. Great mosque of kairouan mosque, kairouan, tunisia. Dating back to 670 ce, the great mosque of kairouan represents one of the oldest and most influential places of worship in the muslim world. This traditional architecture, having become vulnerable through the impact of.
The great mosque of kairouan, also known as the mosque of uqba is one of the most important mosques in tunisia, situated in the unesco world heritage town of kairouan. Do you see any omissions, errors or want to add information to this page. But the mosque at kairouan was much grander than anything being built in northern europe at this time. The city of kairouari is founded by uqfca ibn nafi, who constructs a smal mosque. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Kairouan great mosque of kairouan the green guide michelin. After its establishment, kairouan became an islamic and quranic learning centre in north africa. The islamic governors of tunisia built the great mosque at kairouan in the 800s ad, in the time of the abbasid empire. They also show the joint religious and secular importance of the great mosque of kairouan. It is one of the oldest places of worship in the islamic world, and is a model for all later mosques in the maghreb. Great mosque of kairouan discover islamic art museum with no. Like other hypostyle mosques, such as the prophets mosque in medina, the mosque of kairouan is roughly rectangular. Kairouan is about 160 kilometres south of tunis and was founded by the arabs in around 670 ad.
Excellent, fab historical mosque with great history it is the oldest mosque in tunisia, it was great to see and learn the interesting history of this mosque, it is a fab building, women need to be fully cover and you need to wear a head scarf or hat, men need to have their knees. Take a tour of great mosque of kairouan in kairouan, tunisia part of the worlds greatest attractions travel video series by geobeats. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias. All of the resources of islamic ornamentation, carved or painted, have been lavished here on marble, stone, pottery, or wood. If you are travelling to tunisia for religion and culture, dont miss the kairouan great mosque, which is the oldest mosque in north africa. Soon after this mosque, charlemagne built his palace at aachen. Established by the arab general uqba ibn nafi in the year 50 ah at the founding of the city of kairouan, the mosque occupies an area of over 9,000 square. Sahn courtyard and minaret, great mosque of kairouan, tunisia c.
It is an elevenstep staircase made of teak wood imported from india and is composed of an assembly of over 300 sculpted parts. The great mosque, also known as the sidi oqba mosque, had its simple beginnings in 670 ad, during the time of uqba ibn nafi, the original founder of kairouan. Its present shape reflects the work of ziyadat allah i, who ordered the reconstruction of the edifice in 836. Book your tickets online for the great mosque of kairouan, kairouan. This vast space contains a hypostyle prayer hall, a huge marblepaved courtyard and a massive square minaret.
Founded in 670, kairouan flourished under the aghlabid dynasty in the 9th century. The courtyard of uqba mosque also known as the great mosqu. Kairouan is regarded as a very holy city by muslims and the sidi oqba mosque is the first mosque built in africa and is regarded as being the fourth most important mosque in islam after the great mosques in mecca, medina and jerusalem. The mosque has great importance historically because it is the first mosque in the first muslim town in the west. Kairouan mosque courtyard illustration ancient history. Media in category great mosque of kairouan the following 7 files are in this category, out of 7 total. Travel tunisia visiting the great mosque of kairouan. As such, it assumed the important function of representing a cosmopolitan and urbane kairouan, one of the first cities organized under muslim rule in north africa.
It can also be referred to as mosque of uqba ibn nafi, in honor of its original founder. Commenting on the interior of the prayer hall, the islamic historian paul sebag the great mosque of kairouan says. As a friday mosque, it was one of if not the largest buildings in town. Kairouan qairouan, great mosque art and architectural. The great mosque of kairouan, also called the mosque of uqba, is one of the most important mosques in tunisia, it is spread over a surface area of 9,000 square meters and it is one of the oldest places of worship in the islamic world. It has been said that seven pilgrimages to this mosque is considered the equivalent of one pilgrimage to mecca. The great mosque of kairouan was a public structure, set along roads that served a city with a vibrant commercial, educational, and religious life. Interior view of the prayer hall of the great mosque of kairouan, in tunisia. Full of history the great mosque of kairouan, kairouan.
The most important mosque in the city is the great mosque of sidiuqba uqba ibn nafee also known as the great mosque of kairouan. The vast complex boasts fortresslike walls enclosing a prayer hall and a huge marble courtyard. We recommend booking the great mosque of kairouan tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Alongside, its medical scholars wrote encyclopedic medical books which were translated into latin and made available for a european readership through people like constantine the african. Tunisia the great mosque of kairouan and the mausoleum. By the founder of kairouan it was built, he was the sidi oqba, for that as the sidi oqba mosque is also known the mosque. This was the same time as the reign of charlemagne. History the great mosque of kairouan was built under the provinces of ifriqiya, which the arab annexed in ad 670, at which time they founded the city of kairouan. There is currently no additional information available regarding great mosque of kairouan.
Around kairouan away from the coast, in a landscape of steppes, kairouan is a fascinating city still anchored in a distant past. The founding father of kairouan, uqba ibn nafi, constructed a small mosque on the location in ad 670. Kairouan discover great mosque of kairouan and live the real experience with the green michelin guide find useful information and opening times great mosque of kairouan. The great mosque of kairouan, also known as the mosque of uqba, is a mosque situated in the unesco world heritage town of kairouan, tunisia and is one of the most impressive and largest islamic monuments in north africa. Wider aisles leading to the mihrab and along the qibla wall give it a tplan. One of islams holy cities, it was the first capital of the maghreb. Kairouan is a carpetmaking center, a tradition going back hundreds of years, and it is renowned for the quality of its rugs. Great mosque of kairouan, west portico of the courtyard. In 670 in kairouan was built the first mosque, to north africa of muslim arabs shortly after the arrival. Its most striking feature is the formal emphasis on the buildings tlike axis punctuated by two domes, one of which hovers over the earliest preserved ensemble of mihrab, minbar, and maq. The great mosque at kairouan inherited the site of the first muslim oratory in the maghreb, which was built by uqba ibn nafi in 50 670. The great mosque of kairouan also known as mosque of uqba. See all 14 the great mosque of kairouan tours on tripadvisor. Visit the great mosque of kairouan on your trip to.
Around 690, shortly after its construction, the mosque was destroyed during the occupation of kairouan by the berbers, originally conducted by kusaila. The great mosque of kairouan is one of the most impressive and largest islamic monuments in north africa, its perimeter is almost equal to 405 metres 1,328 feet. The mosque stands on the site of a 1stcentury hellenic temple to jupiter and of a later church of st. The great mosque of kairouan, also known as the mosque of uqba, is one of the most important mosques in tunisia, situated in the unesco world heritage town of kairouan. Kairouan flourished under the aghlabid dynasty in the 9th century. Furthermore, the books bound at kairouan seem to borrow their decoration from a. The dome is an architectural element borrowed from roman and byzantine architecture. The great mosque at kairouan, islamic, tunisia, begun 670 form and function of mosques two of the five pillars of islam is to pray five times a day toward. Part of the courtyard of the great mosque of kairouan, modernday tunisia, with the main prayer hall. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. This binding belonged to the old library of the great mosque of kairouan.
It is the oldest muslim place of worship in africa and is commonly regarded as the fourth holiest. This gem of fine ifriqiyan furniture is the oldest known preachers chair still in situ in the islamic world. Great mosque of kairouan is a mosque in kairouan, tunisia. The great mosque of kairouan in tunisia is one of the most important islamic. The great mosque of kairouan great mosque of sidiuqba is considered as one of the most important monuments of islamic civilization as well as a worldwide architectural masterpiece. See all 15 the great mosque of kairouan tours on tripadvisor. This mosque, the oldest and most prestigious sanctuary in the muslim west, is built over a seventhcentury oratory renovated in 703. The mosque is spread over a surface area of 9,000 square meters. Great mosque of kairouan in kairouan, tunisia sygic travel.
Great mosque of damascus, the earliest surviving stone mosque, built between ad 705 and 715 by the umayyad caliph alwalid i. Complete this brief quiz to quickly gauge your knowledge concerning the great mosque of kairouan. Door of the minaret of the great mosque of kairouan uqba ibn nafi mosque built 670 ce kairouan unesco world heritage centre, tunisia. In 863 by the emir abou ibrahim ahmad was built the current mosque.
Thirteen centuries of art and architecture in tunisia, pp. Founded by arab general uqba ibn nafi in 670 ce, the present aspect of the mosque dates from the 9th century. The mosque was established by the arab general uqba ibn nafi in 670 ce along with the town of kairouan itself, which was used as a base from which to launch his campaigns toward mauretania in the west. The sidi oqba mosque, or great mosque, is the oldest and most spectacular muslim place of worship in north africa and is islams fourth holiest site after mecca, medina, and jerusalem. Every city in tunisia has a great mosque, but the great mosque in kairouan is the most important of all. Great mosque of kairouan kairouan mosque, landmark. The great mosque isnt close to anything in particular, but its rich history and unique architecture are worth the long drive. Combine it with a visit to the zaouia of sidi sahab to experience beautiful islamic. Every corner and every place contain a piece of history. The great mosque of kairouan is one of islams holiest. However, the large rug in the great mosques prayer hall was a gift from saudi arabia. The small windows in the drum of the dome above the mihrab space let. Reused roman slabs with latin engravings serve as a testament.
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