The Gurgi Mosque ( ar, جامع قرجي) 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, ...

Tripoli, Libya Tripoli (; ar, طرابلس الغرب, translit= Ṭarābulus al-Gharb , translation=Western Tripoli) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Libya, with a population of about 1.1 million people in 2019. It is located in the northwe ...

. It lies in the heart of old Tripoli (the medina) as part of a complex of historic buildings. The mosque is an important tourist attraction, as is the area as a whole; nearby is the Roman Arch of Marcus Aurelius.

History

The mosque was commissioned by Mustafa Gurgi and built in 1834. Tripoli then was under Ottoman ruler

Pasha Pasha, Pacha or Paşa ( ota, پاشا; tr, paşa; sq, Pashë; ar, باشا), in older works sometimes anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitar ...

Yusuf Karamanli Yusuf (ibn Ali) Karamanli, Caramanli or Qaramanli or al-Qaramanli (most commonly Yusuf Karamanli), (1766 – 1838) was the longest-reigning Pasha of the Karamanli dynasty of Tripolitania (in present-day Libya). He is noted for his role in th ...

, whose reign extended from 1795 to 1832.The Gurgi Mosque was built by the command of the naval captain Mustafa Gurgi. ''Gurgi'' is an Arabic word which means "from

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

". To the right of the entrance lies the antechamber which houses the tombs of Gurgi and his family. The historic monument mixes European and Islamic geometrics in a way that blends architectural styles from several civilizations in to one statement of art. The Mustafa Gurgi Mosque is located in the Bab al-Bahr district, immediately beside the Mediterranean Sea's coasts. This mosque, like the Ahmed Pasha Karamanli Mosque, is made up of three architectural blocks: the mosque, the tomb, and the school. This mosque has two entrances, one to the west on Al-Akwash Street and the other onto a short alley on the northern side.

Structure

The historic landmark mixes European and Islamic geometrics into a single manifestation of art and beauty, fusing numerous architectural styles from different civilizations. Its walls and columns are adorned with natural marble, and its flooring are covered in multi-colored tiles, creating a wonderfully inspirational and appealing retreat. The minaret is an essential architectural component of the mosque. It is around 25 metres tall and has two balconies made of genuine green marble. Particular attention should be paid to the mosque's arched entryway engraved with floral designs, as well as the praying hall with its towering marble columns, which provide significant creative results. The Gurgi Mosque is constructed with 15 decorative domes. Visitors may explore the calligraphy on the walls, which are inscribed with Quranic passages in Andalusian script, as well as a variety of embellishments of geometric forms, plants, and flowers. In the courtyard of the mosque, like in other typical ottoman-built mosques, there is a mausoleum for the founder, as well as other facilities.

References

{{Tripoli Mosques completed in 1834 Mosques in Tripoli, Libya

History

Structure

See also

References