One of the fascinating things in Muslim architecture is the symmetry and repetition of lines and curves. This is Friday and I promised that Friday would be a posting of a Foto [Spanish for photo]. I intend to focus on pictures that I find interesting, pleasing to the eye and just something fun from my foto archives!
On my trip to Morocco several months ago, we were able to visit Casablanca for some ministry networking and research. We got to visit this significant mosque on the shores of the Atlantic. Admittance to mosques for non-Muslims is usually prohibited. This mosque is one of the few exceptions. There was a certain serenity that I felt in this place, and for me it stood as a stark contrast to the often busy and distracting architecture of the large cathedrals in Europe. The question I have for followers of Christ is this: "are churches generally built to be places conducive to prayer, reflection and focus on God?"
This picture is from one of the walkways at the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca. The Hassan II Mosque (Arabic مسجد Ù„Øسن الثاني) is a mosque located in Casablanca, Morocco. Designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau, it is the second largest in the world (after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca). It stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic, which can be seen through a gigantic glass floor with room for 25,000 worshippers. A further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque's courtyard. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210 meters (689 ft). That is a third again the height of the Seattle Space Needle if that helps for a reference point.
Built on reclaimed land, almost half of the surface of the mosque lies over the Atlantic Ocean. This was inspired by the verse of the Qur'an that states "the throne of God was built on the water". Part of floor of this facility is glass so worshipers can kneel directly over the sea; above, lasers shine at night from the top of the minaret toward Mecca. These features were specifically requested by King Hassan II, who declared, "I want to build this mosque on the water, because God's throne is on the water. Therefore, the faithful who go there to pray, to praise the creator on firm soil, can contemplate God's sky and ocean."
It also includes a number of modern touches: it was built to withstand earthquakes and has a heated floor, electric doors, and a sliding roof.
The mosque displays strong Moorish influence and the architecture of the building is similar to that of the Alhambra and the Mezquita in Spain. This and the old Tin Mal Mosque are the only mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims.
