Greetings! We recently returned from a trip that included a brief visit to Morocco (country #77), where we visited the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. While we plan to return to Morocco for a proper visit, below, you will find information and photos from our tour of the Mosque.
The Hassan II Mosque is the third largest mosque in the world, and has the largest minaret. It is the largest mosque that non-Muslims can go inside. Construction began in 1987, and because of thousands of individuals working around the clock, construction was completed in 1993.
Interesting Fact: 100,000 people come to this mosque during Ramadan.
The Mosque is 20,000 square feet and much of it is built over water. Because it is next to the North Atlantic Ocean, it is covered in titanium, which does not oxidize.
This door (pictured above, also made of titanium) weighs 10 tons, and lifts.
The mosque has a sliding roof (pictured above), which opens in 3 minutes and closes in 2 minutes. The chandeliers are from Rome.
The ceiling is hand carved and hand painted, and almost all of the marble (including in the floor above on the far left) comes from southern Morocco. The mosaic (seen above in the middle and to the right) is from Fez, and is put in piece by piece.
This balcony is made of concrete and covered in cedar wood.
Interesting Fact: While Rabat is the capital city, Casablanca is the commercial center of Morocco.
This is just a little glimpse into our short tour of the Mosque. Stay tuned for details from a future trip to Morocco…Until next time, take care and be well…