Great Mosque of Qal'at Bani Hammad

Great Mosque of Al Qala'a ( Arabic : مسجد القلعة , romanized : Masjid El Qala'a ) is a major historical Mosque located in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Qal'at Bani Hammad , in the province of M'sila , Algeria . Its construction dates back to the early 11th century, during the rule of the Hammadid Emir Hammad ibn Buluggin . The Mosque spans an area of over 3500 square meters (38,000 sq ft), taking on a rectangular layout. It encompasses a vast courtyard , a hypostyle prayer hall , and a square minaret towering at 25 meters (82 ft) in height. Regarded as one of the largest historic mosques in Algeria , second only to the Mansourah , it also contains one of the country's oldest minarets. Additionally, the mosque likely exerted an influence on subsequent Almohad minarets , notably the Giralda in Seville . Together with other archaeological remnants of palatial structures, it stands as a primary testament to the opulence and impact of the Hammadid civilization. Mosque of Qal'at Bani Hammad . Islamic Art in Algeria . Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad .