Page 158 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

Great Mosque, Kairouan

The Sidi Oqba Mosque, or Great Mosque, is the oldest
and most impressive Muslim place of worship in North
Africa and is Islam's fourth holiest site after Mecca,
Medina, and Jerusalem. The founder of Kairouan,
Uqba ibn Nafi, built a small mosque on the site in
AD 670. As the city thrived, the mosque was rebuilt and
enlarged several times: in 703, again in 774, in 836,
and 863. It reached its current dimensions by the end
of the 9th century, but its design and ornamentation Ornately decorated
continued to evolve up to the 19th century. column in the prayer hall

A Entrance to the Mosque ~ astern
There are two entrances to Wells
These provide the
the prayer hall from the road.
Non-Muslims are not permitted Sundial water-drawn from
to enter, but they may look in Set a top a stepped the cistern-for
through the open doors. plinth in the courtyard, ritual ablutions.
this indicates the
times of prayer.
-< Entrance to the Courtyard
~ Columns
Most of the 400-odd marble
and granite columns that
support the roof of the prayer
hall were taken from Roman
and Byzantine sites elsewhere.
Some, however, were carved
by local craftsmen.

~ Minaret

A Cloisters
Surrounding the courtyard on three
sides are cloisters giving shade and
protection from the elements.
-< Minaret
Built between 724 and 728, this imposing
square minaret is one of the oldest surviving
towers of its kind, and is the oldest part of the
Great Mosque. It rises in three sections, each
diminishing in size, and is topped by a dome.
The lower stories are built from blocks taken
from Roman buildings. There are 129 steps
leading up to the minaret's highest point.

-<Cistern
The courtyard slopes down
toward its center, where there
is a latticed plate shielding a
cistern. The plate has a
decorative function but also ~ Entrance to the Courtyard
prevents the water, which Six gates are set into the wall surrounding
drains into the cistern, from the courtyard. The main entrance is
becoming polluted. through a gate surmounted by a dome.