Algeria unveiled the Grand Mosque of Algiers on Monday, February 26th, now the world’s third-largest and Africa’s largest mosque, just in time for the upcoming Ramadan season.
The mosque, an architectural marvel, also known as Djamaa El-Djazair, is situated along the picturesque Mediterranean coast of the North African country.
The mosque, distinguished by its 265-meter-tall minaret – the tallest in the world and can welcome 120,000 worshippers – trails only behind the sacred sites of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia in terms of size.
Ali Mohamed Salabi, the general secretary of the World Union of Muslim Ulemas, stated that the inauguration would guide Muslims “toward goodness and moderation.”
The construction of this mosque, which spanned seven years, resulted in a modernist landmark sprawling over nearly 70 acres.
It showcases exquisite wood and marble decorations, embodying the essence of Arab and North African artistic styles.
Its notable features are a helicopter landing pad and a library designed to accommodate up to one million books.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune spearheaded the official inauguration, marking the mosque’s readiness to host public prayers and events throughout Ramadan, beginning around March 10th.
The mosque’s inauguration event was primarily ceremonial, as it had been accessible to international tourists and state visitors to Algeria for approximately five years and has welcomed prayers since October 2020, during which President Tebboune could not attend due to COVID-19 complications.
Constructed with a budget nearing $900 million by a Chinese company, the mosque’s journey to completion was fraught with delays and budgetary concerns.
This monumental project has not been without controversy, drawing criticism for its location in an area purported to be seismically unstable, a claim the government refutes.
Some have also labeled it as a vanity project of the country’s former President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who envisioned the mosque as part of his legacy.
Bouteflika, who was ousted from power in 2019 following mass protests and military intervention, had hoped to inaugurate the mosque himself in February 2019, a plan that never came to fruition. The mosque’s construction period also raised eyebrows over potential corruption and kickbacks to state officials.
