The Great Mosque of Asmara; alternately known as Al Kulafah Al Rashidan, Al Kulafah Al Rashidin, Al Kuaka Al Rashidin or Al Khulafa Al Rashiudin; ar, جَـامِـع الْـخُـلَـفَـاء الـرَّاشِـدِيْـن, Jāmi‘ al-Khulafā’ ar-Rāshidīn, "Mosque of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs") is a

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

located in the center of Asmara, the

capital city A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a city that physically encompasses t ...

of Eritrea. It is considered to be one of the three prominent edifices of the city, along with Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Enda Mariam Coptic Cathedral. Designed by Guido Ferrazza, it was built in 1938 on the initiative of Benito Mussolini, to impress the Muslim population, who make up about 50% of the locality. The Arabic phrase ''al-Khulafā’ ar-Rāshidīn'' can mean "followers of the right path".

History

Completed in 1936, this huge complex is a combination of rational, classical and Islamic styles. However, the interior of the mosque is open to Muslims only, but people of all faiths are allowed to enter through the main entrance.

Features

The mosque was designed by Guido Ferrazza, in a blend of the architectural styles of Rationalist, Classical, and Islamic. The minaret at its end, fluted and of Roman design, is visible from all parts of the city. It has two platforms and two balconies of the Italian rococo or late baroque style. Below the minaret, the mosque's fascia has a neoclassical

loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...

(exterior galleries), which is split in three parts. The building's double columns are made from

Dekemhare Dekemhare (sometimes spelled ''Decamare'') is a town in Eritrea, lying south east of Asmara. Developed as an industrial center, it became a large scale industrial and transportation city, known for its vineyards but was partly destroyed in the Eri ...

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and even rusty varieties. It is formed by a p ...

and are fitted with capitals made of

Carrara marble Carrara marble, Luna marble to the Romans, is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It has been quarried since Roman times in the mountains just outside the city of Carrara in the province of Massa ...

. Other features include Islamic domes and arches. The mosque's ''

miḥrāb Mihrab ( ar, محراب, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "qibla w ...

'' ( ar, مِـحْـرَاب, a

niche Niche may refer to: Science *Developmental niche, a concept for understanding the cultural context of child development *Ecological niche, a term describing the relational position of an organism's species *Niche differentiation, in ecology, the ...

which faces the direction of

Mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...

) is made of Carrara marble. Additional marble from the same quarry is used in other areas of this mosque. The front open yard of the mosque is covered with black stone slabs set in geometrical design. The Eritrean mosque serves as a symbol of national unity for the country's 42% Sunni Muslims. Sunni Muslims from different parts of the country regularly come to the mosque for prayers, and the participation is significant during the month of Ramadan and the Friday prayers.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{Mosques in Eritrea Mosques in Eritrea Buildings and structures in Asmara Mosques completed in 1938 Modernist architecture in Eritrea asmara

History

Features

See also

References

Bibliography