The Great Mosque, Soummam Valley Travel Guide

Djamaa el Kebir, or the Great Mosque of Algiers, is a testament to the city's rich history and architectural heritage. Constructed in 1097 during the Almoravid dynasty, under the reign of Yusuf ibn Tashfin, it is one of Algeria's oldest mosques. The mosque's design, featuring naves perpendicular to the qibla wall and a rectangular courtyard with galleries, became a model for religious architecture in the region.Over the centuries, the mosque has undergone several transformations. In 1322, the Zayyanid sultan Abu Tashfin I of Tlemcen added the minaret. The mosque suffered severe damage during the French bombardments of Algiers in 1682 and 1683, leading to the reconstruction of the mihrab and qibla wall. A portico of columns and poly-lobed arches was added during the French colonial period in 1840, altering the street alignment.The prayer hall is divided by pillars and horseshoe arches into eleven naves, each covered by double-sloping roofs. The mihrab, though reconstructed, features two small spiral columns, characteristic of 18th-century Algiers, and stucco reliefs. The minbar, now housed in the National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Arts in Algiers, was once moved on rails within the prayer hall. Today, Djamaa el Kebir stands as a symbol of Algiers' enduring cultural and religious identity.