Islamic Architecture And Architecture Of The Great Mosque Of Algiers

Beautiful and grand mosques make the major part of Islamic history of architecture. Different great mosques were created in different times, which were unique in their own ways because of their distinctive designs, material and location. Each mosque depicts the era in which it was built and the kind of architecture prevailing during that particular period. The Great Mosque of Algiers is considered of one of the greatest mosques ever built. Although, a lot of modification has been done in the mosque but still it is one of the greatest works of architecture on earth.

The grand mosque is situated in the capital city of Algiers near the Algiers Port. The very mosque is known by many different names such as Jemma Kebir or Djama al Kebir. It is

In past the very mosque was located on the Rue de la Marine in Algiers during the French reign. At that time it was the entrance street to the Harbour of Algiers but now it does not exist anymore and has been surpassed by the Boulevard de Ernesto Guevara as well as Rue de Angkor. The Great Mosque of Algiers is seen here with recorded portico of columns and poly-lobed arches which were constructed in the colonial period. Presently, the mosque is supported by a large of numbers of arches and pillars and was mostly added after the reconstruction of the mosque by the French. The Great Mosque of Algiers has a four-sided veranda measuring about 38*46 meter. Different reaches have proved that in 1097 the mosque was structured, in 1332 the minarets were added in the northwestern corner of the mosque and corridor was placed around the mosque in 1840. There are eleven sections of mosques and stonework columns are there to support each section of the mosque. These columns are decorated by Moorish Arches (Inclined roofs). The mosque is square in shape and it’s interior is composed of a series hallways, rooms and passages with the shared theme of archways and pillars throughout the building. Both floors and walls are adorned by intricate mosaic. The main building is facing into a courtyard, away from prayer hall and galleries. The prayer hall is further segregated into eleven naves each of them is covered with a double inclined roof. The main mehrab an arched niche shows the direction of Mecca. The very Mehrab was destroyed by the French during their Colonial rule in Algiers. It was originally built in 1097 and was considered as an inseparable part of the mosque. The reconstructed mehrab is a typical design followed in 18th century Algiers. It in the in the form of