Songo Mnara Town Wall Mosque
History
The Town Wall Mosque is a modest, nearby prayer room with an upright mihrab that appears to date to the 18th century. Its northwest corner was where the town wall was attached. The building was abandoned and its stone was used to construct the town wall, most likely in the early 16th century.
Urban and Architectural
The first mosque was a two-roomed prayer hall that was long and thin (14.25 x 3.30m). The mosque was destroyed by a significant fire, leaving burn traces on the floor and in the entrances.
The two rooms are separated by an internal wall, with the southern room measuring 9.75 x 3.3m and the northern room measuring 2.9 x 3.3m with its mihrab. There is no sign of a doorway separating the two spaces. A sandstone stair and a sandy ramp that led to the seashore were used to access the northern room from the west.
The mihrab has a relatively straightforward elevation with a little arch and no capital. At the level of the springing, the base was rectangular rather than semi-circular.
Three doorways could be found in the southern room (10.3 x 3.25 m), two of which were located on the west wall and one in the middle of the south wall.
Description
The mihrab has a relatively straightforward elevation with a little arch and no capital. At the level of the springing, the base was rectangular rather than semi-circular.
Three doorways could be found in the southern room (10.3 x 3.25 m), two of which were located on the west wall and one in the middle of the south wall.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songo_Mnara
https://www.zamaniproject.org/site-tanzania-songo-mnara.html
Details
Location
Ruins of Songo Mnara UNESCO World Heritage SIte, Songa Mnara Island, Tanzania
Worshippers
25
Year of Build
16th Centurey
Area
50
Drawings
Map
History
The Town Wall Mosque is a modest, nearby prayer room with an upright mihrab that appears to date to the 18th century. Its northwest corner was where the town wall was attached. The building was abandoned and its stone was used to construct the town wall, most likely in the early 16th century.
Urban and Architectural
The first mosque was a two-roomed prayer hall that was long and thin (14.25 x 3.30m). The mosque was destroyed by a significant fire, leaving burn traces on the floor and in the entrances.
The two rooms are separated by an internal wall, with the southern room measuring 9.75 x 3.3m and the northern room measuring 2.9 x 3.3m with its mihrab. There is no sign of a doorway separating the two spaces. A sandstone stair and a sandy ramp that led to the seashore were used to access the northern room from the west.
The mihrab has a relatively straightforward elevation with a little arch and no capital. At the level of the springing, the base was rectangular rather than semi-circular.
Three doorways could be found in the southern room (10.3 x 3.25 m), two of which were located on the west wall and one in the middle of the south wall.
Description
The mihrab has a relatively straightforward elevation with a little arch and no capital. At the level of the springing, the base was rectangular rather than semi-circular.
Three doorways could be found in the southern room (10.3 x 3.25 m), two of which were located on the west wall and one in the middle of the south wall.