This opulent mosque, built at enormous expense, is set on an outcrop jutting over the ocean with a 210m-tall minaret that's a city landmark. It's a showcase of the finest Moroccan artisanship: hand-carved stone and wood, intricate marble flooring and inlay, gilded cedar ceilings and exquisite zellige (geometric mosaic tilework) abound. One of two Moroccan mosques open to non-Muslims, multi-language guided tours are conducted outside prayer times for modestly clad visitors. There’s also a small museum showcasing the craftsmanship involved.
Its minaret soaring 210 metres – or 60 stories – over the Atlantic Ocean, makes the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco the tallest minaret in the world, and the tallest buiding in Morocco.
Its dramatic location overhanging the ocean waves echoes verse from the Quran, which states that God’s throne was built upon the water. Believers pray on a floor that can be heated when necessary, and can feel the breeze through the retractable roof in warmer months.
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