Adelaide Mosque
History
Built in 1889-90, Adelaide Mosque
was the first mosque to be built in an Australian city and is considered to be
highly valuable due to being the oldest surviving mosque in Australia. 1 The
mosque was built by Muslim Afghan Cameleer who were among the earliest Muslims
who settled in Australia post-colonisation. In the later 1880s, Hajji Mulla
Mehrban (a local Afghan community leader) took the initiative to build the much-needed
first mosque in an Australian city. Financial support was sourced from the
Muslim Afghan community of Adelaide and the land purchase from European
settlers was sponsored by another community leader, Abdul Wade. The purchased
land (at 20 Gilbert St) was at the south-west corner of the city, with few
other buildings (mainly residential) in the area. 2
For the Muslim community in
Adelaide, the mosque was more than a place of prayer. Adelaide Mosque was a social
hub that helped the small Muslim population to bond, it was a place of rest and
retreat for Afghan cameleers during their long journeys, and a place to host
gatherings of the Muslim community, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
2
Urban and Architectural
Initially, the mosque had similar
architectural attributes of the few adjacent buildings in the area. The form was
as simple rectangular building (measuring 12*7.5 meters in size) featuring a
simple hipped roof, which was a typical feature of the architecture in Adelaide
in the later 1880s. The Mihrab faced the street, and its only distinctive
features were arched windows are doorways. A verandah lead to the main prayer
hall. 2
Over the time, the Muslim community grew in Adelaide, and
the mosque was upgraded to accommodate their needs, and as a mean of showing
the integration of Adelaide’s Muslims with the mainstream society. Those
upgrades include:
- 1891: the mosque was painted
- 1903-1905: four 20-meters high chimney-shaped minarets
were added to the mosque’s corners reflecting the outstanding profile of
Afghan, Indian and Turkish precedents.
- 1978: the mosque received major renovations in response to
the large Muslim migration to Australia. As a result, the verandah was integrated
into the main chamber creating a larger prayer hall, and an internal mezzanine was
added over the verandah to accommodate women’s needs.
- Recently: modern steel vaults were added to the courtyard
to shelter an increased number of worshippers during Friday prayers, and
creating additional space to be used during Eid and Ramadan festivals.
Description
References
1. Adelaide
Mosque [Internet]. Adelaide Heritage. [cited 2020 Nov 22]. Available from: http://www.adelaideheritage.net.au/all-site-profiles/adelaide-mosque-2/
1. Rashid M, Bartsch K. Architecture of the Adelaide Mosque: Hybridity, Resilience and Assimilation. Traditional Dwellings Settlements Rev. 2014;25(2):65–75.
Image Credit: Tony Lewis as published in:
Manning
C. Time and place: The Adelaide Mosque [Internet]. InDaily. 2016 [cited 2020
Nov 22]. Available from:
https://indaily.com.au/news/local/2016/11/25/time-and-place-the-adelaide-mosque/
Details
Location
28/20 Little Gilbert St, Adelaide SA 5000
Owners
Afghan Muslim Community: Abdul Wade
Year of Build
1889-90
Drawings
Map
History
Built in 1889-90, Adelaide Mosque
was the first mosque to be built in an Australian city and is considered to be
highly valuable due to being the oldest surviving mosque in Australia. 1 The
mosque was built by Muslim Afghan Cameleer who were among the earliest Muslims
who settled in Australia post-colonisation. In the later 1880s, Hajji Mulla
Mehrban (a local Afghan community leader) took the initiative to build the much-needed
first mosque in an Australian city. Financial support was sourced from the
Muslim Afghan community of Adelaide and the land purchase from European
settlers was sponsored by another community leader, Abdul Wade. The purchased
land (at 20 Gilbert St) was at the south-west corner of the city, with few
other buildings (mainly residential) in the area. 2
For the Muslim community in
Adelaide, the mosque was more than a place of prayer. Adelaide Mosque was a social
hub that helped the small Muslim population to bond, it was a place of rest and
retreat for Afghan cameleers during their long journeys, and a place to host
gatherings of the Muslim community, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
2
Urban and Architectural
Initially, the mosque had similar
architectural attributes of the few adjacent buildings in the area. The form was
as simple rectangular building (measuring 12*7.5 meters in size) featuring a
simple hipped roof, which was a typical feature of the architecture in Adelaide
in the later 1880s. The Mihrab faced the street, and its only distinctive
features were arched windows are doorways. A verandah lead to the main prayer
hall. 2
Over the time, the Muslim community grew in Adelaide, and
the mosque was upgraded to accommodate their needs, and as a mean of showing
the integration of Adelaide’s Muslims with the mainstream society. Those
upgrades include:
- 1891: the mosque was painted
- 1903-1905: four 20-meters high chimney-shaped minarets
were added to the mosque’s corners reflecting the outstanding profile of
Afghan, Indian and Turkish precedents.
- 1978: the mosque received major renovations in response to
the large Muslim migration to Australia. As a result, the verandah was integrated
into the main chamber creating a larger prayer hall, and an internal mezzanine was
added over the verandah to accommodate women’s needs.
- Recently: modern steel vaults were added to the courtyard
to shelter an increased number of worshippers during Friday prayers, and
creating additional space to be used during Eid and Ramadan festivals.
Description