Hassan II Mosque – Morocco
Commissioned by its namesake King Hassan II, this mosque is one of the world’s most famous with its towering minaret and excellent sea views.
Profile
- Height: 210m
- Floors: n/a
- Built: 1993
- Use: religious
- Location: Casablanca, population 3.8 million
Background
This important place of worship was commissioned by King Hassan II and designed by Michel Pinseau under the king’s guidance.
The top of the minaret features a laser pointing towards Mecca
The mosque stretches out over the sea via a platform – the idea is that worshippers should be able to view God’s creations such as the ocean. This includes a glass floor in one of the prayer rooms that where Muslims can kneel over to pray.
In total, Hassan II Mosque has a capacity of 105 thousand worshippers, including 25 thousand in the main hall and the others outside.
It is the only Moroccan mosque open to non-Muslims – who must have a guided tour in order to enter.
Design
A key element in the design of this building is the retractable roof that allows sunlight in during the day, or, if opened at night, worshippers can pray under the stars. The roof takes about 5 minutes to open fully.
The roof is covered with tiles from cast aluminium, which stronger + lighter than ceramic.
The 210m tall minaret is the tallest religious structure in the world
The structure of the main building is made from reinforced concrete.
Loudspeakers are integrated into the ceilings of the columns that support the roof so they are not exposed visitors or worshippers.
Construction
6,000 Moroccan artisans worked on mosaics, columns and carved ceilings to form such an intricate and detailed design.
The minaret is made from a special type of concrete said to have four times the strength of ordinary concrete.
Exposure to salt water spray from the Atlantic has resulted in the outer concrete walls slowly deteriorating. Renovation works to address this began in 2005.
[Image credits for this page: moroccoworldnews.com, thinkmorocco.com]