The Great Omari Mosque, one of Gaza’s oldest and most significant religious landmarks, is located in the heart of Old Gaza. It is closely connected to the city’s historic markets, including the Zawiya Market and the Gold Market (Qaysariyya). The mosque is named after Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him).

Historically, the site is believed to have originally hosted a pagan temple, which was later converted into a church prior to the Islamic conquest. Following the conquest, it was transformed into a mosque. During the Crusader invasion of Palestine, the structure once again became a church. When the Mamluks recaptured Gaza, they restored the site as a mosque, preserving much of the church’s architecture while making further additions over time. The mosque sustained damage during World War I, including the destruction of its minaret, but has since undergone multiple restorations.

The mosque’s current architectural form differs significantly from its early Islamic structure. The main prayer hall that stands today was originally constructed in the early 12th century during the Crusader period and is influenced by medieval church design. This hall features a high central arcade flanked by two lower ones. Natural light enters through high niches located along the top of the central arcade.

Architecturally, the prayer hall contains a series of stone piers—nine freestanding and several integrated into the side walls. These piers, shaped like plus signs, are flanked by marble columns with Corinthian capitals. On the side facing the central arcade, upper columns rest atop lower ones. The interior vaults feature pointed arches, and the central arcade’s roof is gabled on the exterior. During the Mamluk era, a fourth arcade was added to the southern side of the hall, constructed with differently shaped piers and expanding in width to align with the adjacent Qaysariyya Market. The mosque’s mihrab and minbar are now located in this southern arcade.

The mosque’s minaret was added by the Mamluk Sultan al-Mansur Hussam al-Din Lajin, and during the Ottoman period, a courtyard was added to the north of the main hall. This courtyard is surrounded on three sides by porticoes and features a staircase-accessible gate on the fourth side, opening to a street at a higher elevation than the mosque itself.

The mosque features eight gates, the most prominent being:

The Western Gate: Built during the Ottoman period, this gate connects to the Zawiya Market. A set of descending steps leads into an arched vestibule, with the mosque’s library to the right. Opposite this gate is another leading to a preserved Christian-era structure, notable for its series of pointed arches supported by marble half-columns. Above is a circular stained-glass window, which illuminates the interior corridor and is visible from the market outside.

The Southern Gate: Opens directly onto the Gold Market (Qaysariyya).

The Northern Gate: Leads to the mosque’s courtyard via an elegantly designed staircase.

The Great Omari Mosque Library dates back roughly seven centuries. In 676 AH (1277 AD), the Mamluk Sultan al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqdari ordered its establishment as a center for knowledge and learning in Gaza. He initially endowed the library with around 20,000 books and manuscripts, making it a prominent intellectual hub.

Today, the library consists of two modest rooms, each spanning over 50 square meters. Despite their size, they symbolize a long-standing tradition of scholarship and cultural preservation within the mosque complex.