Great Mosque of Kairouan

The Mosque of Uqba ( Arabic : جامع عقبة), also known as the Great Mosque of Kairouan (Arabic: جامع القيروان الأكبر), is one of the most important mosques in Tunisia . Built by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi from 670 A.D. (the year 50 according to the Islamic calendar ) at the founding of the city of Kairouan , the mosque is spread over a surface area of 9,000 square metres and is considered as the oldest place of worship in the western Islamic world , as well as a model for all later mosques in the Maghreb . The Great Mosque of Kairouan is certainly one of the most impressive and largest islamic monuments in North Africa , its perimeter is almost equal to 415 metres (1,361 feet). This space contains a hypostyle prayer hall, a huge marble-paved courtyard and a massive minaret. In addition to its spiritual prestige , the Mosque of Uqba is universally reputed as a masterpiece of both architecture and Islamic art . Under the Aghlabids , the fame of the Mosque of Uqba and of the other holy sites at Kairouan helped the city to develop and repopulate little by little. The university, consisting of scholars who met in the mosque, was a centre of education both in Islamic thought and in the secular sciences. Its role can be compared to that of the University of Paris in the Middle Ages . With the decline of the city, the centre of intellectual thought moved to the University of Ez-Zitouna in Tunis .

Interior view of the hypostyle prayer hall in the Mosque of Uqba (Great Mosque of Kairouan) The Great Mosque of Kairouan ( جامع القيروان الأكبر ), also known as the Mosque of Uqba ( ), is one of the most important mosques in Tunisia , situated in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Kairouan . Established by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi in 670 AD (the year 50 according to the Islamic calendar ) at the founding of the city of Kairouan, the mosque is spread over a surface area of 9,000 square metres and it is one of the oldest places of worship in the Islamic world , as well as a model for all later mosques in the Maghreb . The Great Mosque of Kairouan is one of the most impressive and largest Islamic monuments in North Africa , its perimeter is almost equal to 405 metres (1,328 feet). This vast space contains a hypostyle prayer hall, a huge marble-paved courtyard and a massive square minaret. In addition to its spiritual prestige, the Mosque of Uqba is one of the masterpieces of both architecture and Islamic art . Under the Aghlabids (9th century), huge works gave the mosque its present aspect. The fame of the Mosque of Uqba and of the other holy sites at Kairouan helped the city to develop and repopulate increasingly. The university, consisting of scholars who taught in the mosque, was a centre of education both in Islamic thought and in the secular sciences. Its role can be compared to that of the University of Paris in the Middle Ages . With the decline of the city of Kairouan from the mid 11th century, the centre of intellectual thought moved to the University of Ez-Zitouna in Tunis .

Interior view of the hypostyle prayer hall in the Mosque of Uqba (Great Mosque of Kairouan) The Great Mosque of Kairouan ( ), also known as the Mosque of Uqba ( جامع عقبة بن نافع ), is a mosque situated in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Kairouan , Tunisia and is one of the most impressive and largest Islamic monuments in North Africa . Established by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi in the year 50 AH (670AD/CE) at the founding of the city of Kairouan, the mosque occupies an area of over 9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft). It is one of the oldest places of worship in the Islamic world , and is a model for all later mosques in the Maghreb . Its perimeter, of about 405 metres (1,329 ft), contains a hypostyle prayer hall, a marble-paved courtyard and a square minaret. In addition to its spiritual prestige, the Mosque of Uqba is one of the masterpieces of Islamic architecture , notable among other things for the first Islamic use of the horseshoe arch . Extensive works under the Aghlabids two centuries later (9th Cent.AD/CE) gave the mosque its present aspect. The fame of the Mosque of Uqba and of the other holy sites at Kairouan helped the city to develop and expand. The university, consisting of scholars who taught in the mosque, was a centre of education both in Islamic thought and in the secular sciences. Its role at the time can be compared to that of the University of Paris in the Middle Ages .

Tunisian religious building and site of Islamic worship Interior view of the hypostyle prayer hall in the Mosque of Uqba (Great Mosque of Kairouan) The Great Mosque of Kairouan ( Arabic : جامع القيروان الأكبر ), also known as the Mosque of Uqba ( جامع عقبة بن نافع ), is a mosque situated in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Kairouan , Tunisia and is one of the largest Islamic monuments in North Africa . Established by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi in the year 50 AH (670 C.E.) at the founding of the city of Kairouan, the mosque occupies an area of over 9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft). It is one of the oldest places of worship in the Islamic world , and is a model for all later mosques in the Maghreb . Its perimeter, of about 405 metres (1,329 ft), contains a hypostyle prayer hall, a marble-paved courtyard and a square minaret. In addition to its spiritual prestige, the Mosque of Uqba is one of the masterpieces of Islamic architecture , notable among other things for the first Islamic use of the horseshoe arch . Extensive works under the Aghlabids two centuries later (9th Cent.AD/CE) gave the mosque its present aspect. The fame of the Mosque of Uqba and of the other holy sites at Kairouan helped the city to develop and expand. The university, consisting of scholars who taught in the mosque, was a centre of education both in Islamic thought and in the secular sciences. Its role at the time can be compared to that of the University of Paris in the Middle Ages . The Great Mosque (kairouan-cci2009.nat.tn) (in French) M’hamed Hassine Fantar, De Carthage à Kairouan: 2000 ans d’art et d’histoire en Tunisie , éd.