The mosque in Dongola is visible from a great distance, particularly from the Nile. Rising 12 meters high, it stands atop a rocky outcrop that sharply ascends from the desert at the edge of a broad plateau. This plateau stretches to the east and south of the citadel and is dotted with the ruins of the medieval town. The mosque’s imposing silhouette, reminiscent of Pharaonic architecture, gives it the appearance of a fortress rather than a place of worship.

For centuries, travelers have remarked on this large rectangular structure, measuring 28 by 18 meters, noting it as the only building in Dongola that has remained in continuous—or near-continuous—use since the days of Middle Makuria in the mid-9th century.