Hassan II Mosque

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The Hassan II Mosque is a giant mosque in Casablanca, Morocco, built partly over the Atlantic Ocean. It is the second largest mosque in Africa and one of the largest in the world. Its minaret is 210 metres tall, the second tallest minaret in the world, and a laser on top points toward Mecca. The mosque was completed in 1993. The French architect Michel Pinseau designed it under the guidance of King Hassan II, and Moroccan craftspeople from all over the kingdom built it.

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At a glance

Country: Morocco
Location: Casablanca, Morocco
Built: 1993
Height: 210 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Hassan II Mosque?

Hassan II Mosque is in Casablanca, Morocco.

When was Hassan II Mosque built?

Hassan II Mosque was built in 1993.

How tall is Hassan II Mosque?

Hassan II Mosque is about 210 m tall.

A mosque built partly over the Atlantic, whose 210 m minaret is the second tallest in the world.

The prayer hall is 200 metres long and 100 metres wide, and the central roof is retractable. Up to 105,000 worshippers can gather for prayer, 25,000 inside the hall and 80,000 on the grounds outside. The 9-hectare complex sits on a rocky promontory between the harbour and the El Hank Lighthouse.

A mosque on the water

King Hassan II said in 1980 that he wanted to build the mosque on the water, because God's throne is on the water. Builders made a platform joining a natural rock outcrop reclaimed from the sea, so that the mosque stands half on land and half over the ocean. Two big breakwaters protect it from waves that can reach 10 metres, and during construction an 800-metre temporary pier guarded the foundations. Work began on 12 July 1986, and it was inaugurated on 30 August 1993.

Built by many hands

The official foundation says about 3,300 Moroccan craftspeople took part, and other accounts count some 10,000 artists and craftsmen. At the busiest time 1,400 men worked by day and 1,100 by night. The wood is cedar from the Middle Atlas mountains, the marble comes from Agadir, the granite from Tafraoute, and the chandeliers are from Murano. Paying for it cost an estimated 585 million euros, and 12 million people donated, each receiving a receipt; the smallest gift was 5 dirhams.

Roof and rooms

The retractable roof weighs 1,100 tonnes and can be opened in five minutes, letting sunlight in by day and the stars on clear nights. Upstairs there are balconies for women. The complex also has a madrasa (an Islamic school), hammams (bathhouses), a museum, conference halls, a large library and 41 fountains in the courtyard.