Great Mosque of Kairouan

The Great Mosque of Kairouan (Arabic: جامع القيروان الأكبر), also known as the Mosque of Uqba (جامع عقبة بن نافع), is a mosque in the beautiful town of Kairouan, Tunisia, which is part of North Africa. It is one of the largest and most important Islamic buildings in the region and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The mosque was built by an Arab leader named Uqba ibn Nafi in the year 50 AH (which is around 670 or 671 CE) when the city of Kairouan was first created. It covers a huge area of over 9,000 square metres and is one of the oldest places for Islamic worship. Many later mosques in the Maghreb were inspired by its design.

The mosque includes a large prayer hall with many columns, a courtyard covered in marble, and a square tower called a minaret. It is famous for being the first place where a special kind of arch called the horseshoe arch was used in Islamic buildings. The mosque is not only important for religious reasons but also for its beautiful architecture.

Later, in the 9th century, more work was done on the mosque, giving it much of its current look. Because of its importance, the city of Kairouan grew and became a centre for learning. Scholars taught many subjects in the mosque, making it similar to famous old universities like the University of Paris during the Middle Ages.

Location

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is found in the north-east part of the old city, or medina, of Kairouan. It is in an area called Houmat al-Jami, which means "area of the Great Mosque." When the city was first built by Uqba ibn Nafi, the mosque was right in the center. Over time, the city grew more to the south because of the land and streams nearby. Events like the invasions by the Hilalian people also stopped the city from growing more. Because of these changes, the mosque is now near the eastern edge of the city, close to the city walls.

History

Evolution

The Great Mosque of Kairouan was built in 670 by Uqba ibn Nafi, who also founded the city of Kairouan. It was destroyed by Berbers around 690 but rebuilt in 703. Over the years, many leaders added to and changed the mosque. In the early 700s, Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik expanded it, and work began on its minaret. In 774, more changes were made.

During the Aghlabid dynasty, the mosque was rebuilt again in 836 and took on much of its current look. More parts were added in the 800s, like extra spaces for prayer and beautiful decorations. The mosque has been repaired and added to over time, with major work done in 1967-1972.

Host stories

Many writers and travelers visited the mosque over the centuries and wrote about it. Arab historians like Al-Bakri and Al-Nuwayri described its construction and decorations. Western visitors, such as the French doctor John Andrew Peyssonnel and writer Guy de Maupassant, admired its beauty and architecture. The Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke praised the mosque’s minaret as a wonderful example of Islamic design.

Architecture

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is a very large building that covers more than 9,000 square metres. It has a main prayer hall and a large courtyard in front of it. The mosque also has a tall tower called a minaret, which was used to call people to prayer.

The mosque looks strong and sturdy from the outside, with thick walls and towers at the corners. It has several doors and gates, some of which were added later to keep the building safe. Inside, the courtyard is surrounded by covered walkways with arches. The prayer hall has many columns supporting its roof, and it includes special areas like the mihrab, which points toward Mecca, and a minbar, which is a raised platform used during speeches on special days.

The mosque’s design has influenced many other mosques in North Africa and Spain. Its minaret is one of the oldest still standing, and the decorations inside show beautiful patterns and designs from early Islamic art.

Artworks

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is very special because of its beautiful artworks. Many of its decorations and items are still kept either in the mosque itself or in the Raqqada National Museum of Islamic Art, not far from Kairouan.

The mosque once had a library with very old and important books, including some of the earliest known copies of the Qur'an and books about Islamic law. There are also amazing pieces like the Blue Qur'an, which has pages written in beautiful letters on blue material, and special lights made of bronze that show a mix of different artistic styles. These artworks help us learn about the history of art and writing in the region.

Role in Muslim civilisation

During its most important years, between the ninth and eleventh centuries AD, Kairouan was a major centre for Islamic learning. The Great Mosque of Kairouan was not just a place for prayer but also a school where people studied important Islamic teachings. It was similar to how the University of Paris worked during the Middle Ages.

The mosque taught many subjects, including religion, math, astronomy, medicine, and botany. Famous teachers came there to share their knowledge. The mosque also had a big library with many books, making it a key place for learning in North Africa during those centuries.