Algeria opens largest Mosque in Africa
Algeria’s president, abdulmajid Tebboune, has inaugurated the Great Mosque of Algiers, after years of political upheaval.
The massive Mosque also known locally as Djamaa Al Djazair, is officially opened to the public to host nightly prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins next month.
During the inauguration ceremony on Sunday, the General Secretary of the World Union of Muslim Ulemas, Ali Mohamed Salabi, noted the completion of the mosque is a testament to the efforts of martyrs and serves as a beacon guiding Muslims toward goodness and moderation.
Although the event was mainly ceremonial, the mosque has been open to international tourists and state visitors to Algeria for roughly five years with an earlier ceremony being delayed.
The Great Mosque of Algiers with an official cost of $898 million, boasts the world’s tallest minaret, measuring at 869 feet (265 metres), signifying a remarkable architectural and cultural achievement.
Algeria’s Great Mosque of Algier, is the third largest mosque in the world and the largest outside Islam’s holiest cities, its prayer room can accommodate 120,000 people.
Its modernist design incorporates elements of Arab and North African aesthetics, paying homage to Algerian tradition and culture.
Other eye-popping features include a helicopter landing pad and a library capable of housing up to 1 million books.
