Mosque Name: Zaytouna Mosque
Country: Tunisia
City: Tunis
Year of construction (AH): 115 AH
Year of construction (AD): 732 AD
GPS: 36°47’50.73” N 10°10’16.88”E
ArchNet: http://archnet.org/sites/3765
Gibson Classification: Parallel
Rebuilt facing Mecca: never
For a Link to the Qibla Tool Click Here
Description:
The Zaytuna mosque, or “olive tree” mosque, was initially built in 732 CE on the ruins of an old Roman basilica in the médina of Tunis, Tunisia. Though the original structure no longer exists, literary sources attribute its construction to builder Hassan ibn Nu’man. A century after its construction, the mosque was completely rebuilt by Aghlabid amir Abu Ibrahim Ahmed (reg. 856-863 CE) to emulate another of his large building projects the Great Mosque at Kairouan. The two mosques were reconstructed concurrently between 856 and 863 CE. In 864 renovations were funded by the Abbasid caliph Al–Musta’in. There are further similarities between the plan of the Zaytuna mosque and that of the Great Mosque at Córdoba (784-786, 961-976, 987 AD), a testament to the persisting influence that the Córdoba building had upon mosque design in Northern Africa.
The Zaytuna mosque, or “olive tree” mosque, was initially built in 732 CE on the ruins of an old Roman basilica in the médina of Tunis, Tunisia. Though the original structure no longer exists, literary sources attribute its construction to builder Hassan ibn Nu’man. A century after its construction, the mosque was completely rebuilt by Aghlabid amir Abu Ibrahim Ahmed (reg. 856-863 CE) to emulate another of his large building projects the Great Mosque at Kairouan. The two mosques were reconstructed concurrently between 856 and 863 CE. In 864 renovations were funded by the Abbasid caliph Al–Musta’in. There are further similarities between the plan of the Zaytuna mosque and that of the Great Mosque at Córdoba (784-786, 961-976, 987 AD), a testament to the persisting influence that the Córdoba building had upon mosque design in Northern Africa.
The Parallel Qibla is named after after a line that could be drawn between Petra and Mecca.
Sample of Parallel Qibla. Note the angel of Petra to Mecca.
Inside Zaytuna mosque
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