Qarawiyyin Mosque
History
In the 9th century, Fez was the capital of the Idrisid dynasty, considered to be the first Moroccan Islamic state. According to one of the major early sources on this period, the Rawd al-Qirtas by Ibn Abi Zar, al-Qarawiyyin was founded as a mosque in 857 or 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Mohammed al-Fihri. The al-Fihri family had migrated from Kairouan (hence the name of the mosque), Tunisia to Fez in the early 9th century, joining a community of other migrants from Kairouan who had settled in a western district of the city. Fatima and her sister Mariam, both of whom were well educated, inherited a large amount of money from their father. Fatima vowed to spend her entire inheritance to build a mosque suitable for her community. Similarly, her sister Mariam is also reputed to have founded al-Andalusiyyin Mosque the same year .
Urban and Architectural
Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque was founded in the 9th century, but its present form is the result of a long historical evolution over the course of more than 1,000 years. Successive dynasties expanded the mosque until it became the largest in Africa, with a capacity of 22,000 worshipers. The present-day mosque covers an extensive area of about half a hectare. Broadly speaking, it consists of a large hypostyle interior space for prayers (the prayer hall), a courtyard with fountains (the sahn), a minaret at the courtyard's western end, and a number of annexes around the mosque itself.
Description
A simple oratory of about 100 m2, the original mosque was made up of four naves parallel to the qibla wall, a courtyard, a mihrab and a minaret.
References
https://www.fez-guide.com/Listing/the-karaouine-mosque/
https://www.fes.fr/mosquee-al-quaraouiyine
https://www.qantara-med.org/public/show_document.php?do_id=308
Details
Location
In the heart of the city on the Kairouanese bank, Fez (Old Town), Morocco
Worshippers
22 000
Owners
Fatima al-Fihriya, a pious woman from Kairouan, daughter of Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah
Year of Build
Hegira 3rd–4th centuries / AD 9th–10th centuries
Area
7000
Drawings
Map
History
In the 9th century, Fez was the capital of the Idrisid dynasty, considered to be the first Moroccan Islamic state. According to one of the major early sources on this period, the Rawd al-Qirtas by Ibn Abi Zar, al-Qarawiyyin was founded as a mosque in 857 or 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Mohammed al-Fihri. The al-Fihri family had migrated from Kairouan (hence the name of the mosque), Tunisia to Fez in the early 9th century, joining a community of other migrants from Kairouan who had settled in a western district of the city. Fatima and her sister Mariam, both of whom were well educated, inherited a large amount of money from their father. Fatima vowed to spend her entire inheritance to build a mosque suitable for her community. Similarly, her sister Mariam is also reputed to have founded al-Andalusiyyin Mosque the same year .
Urban and Architectural
Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque was founded in the 9th century, but its present form is the result of a long historical evolution over the course of more than 1,000 years. Successive dynasties expanded the mosque until it became the largest in Africa, with a capacity of 22,000 worshipers. The present-day mosque covers an extensive area of about half a hectare. Broadly speaking, it consists of a large hypostyle interior space for prayers (the prayer hall), a courtyard with fountains (the sahn), a minaret at the courtyard's western end, and a number of annexes around the mosque itself.