The government was not able to fund the whole the construction. We all believe in the same God, after all. [8], The prayer hall is built to a rectangular plan of 200 metres (660ft) length and 100 metres (330ft)[20] width with three naves, which are perpendicular to the qibla wall. Winter Time Tour Schedule in Hassan Mosque. Second, giving is engrained in Muslim culture. But keep in mind to dress modestly, both for man and women. I may not have been to many Mosques, but I have this feeling in the core of my bones that this is one of the most beautiful Mosques in the world. International reports suggest that there was a high level of local resentment of the project and that there were quite a few less than voluntary donations to the project. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Heymondo Insurance can save you thousands of dollars if something goes wrong on your travels. Read the sites full Privacy/Disclosure policy by clicking here. Tourists cannot book or purchase their Hassan ii mosque tickets online, you have to do it at the ticket office on the front side of the complex in front of the large parking lot. Experience the breathtaking beauty and spiritual magnificence of Casablanca's most iconic landmark, the Hassan II Mosque, with a guided visit that includes convenient hotel pickup. The gates are embellished with marble bars which have faux voussoirs (alternately smooth or sculpted). Hassan II Mosque was commissioned by King Hassan II as he felt Casablanca lacked historical and architectural monuments. On either side of the hall, there are mezzanine floors with carved dark wood furnishings, which are reserved for women. If you want to keep up to date with news and important events concerning the Hassan II mosque foundation, Boulevard Moulay Youssef Casablanca 20000, Maroc, Children beyond 6 years and moroccan students, Moroccans, residents and foreign students, VIP visits(private visits (10 people and less). But its a very valid question because this is actually the only mosque in Morocco that non-Muslims are allowed to visit. Sidi Mohamed ben Abdallah Hours Tours Sept-June Sat-Thurs 9am, 10am, 11am, and 2pm, Fri 9am and 2pm; July-Aug daily 2:30pm Prices Guided tour in English, French, German, and Spanish 120dh adults, 60dh students with ID, 30dh children 11 and under About our rating system This decorative material (with chrome and green as dominant colours), is a substitute for the use of bricks, the material used in many other notable minarets, and has given the mosque an extraordinary elegance. It took over seven years and 10,000 craftsman recruited in all the cities of the kingdom that carved 53,000 m2 of wood and assembled more than 10,000 m2 of zellige (ceramics) for the place of worship. For safety reasons, do not exceed the chains around the Seguia. Leave them below or email me. It is a super stylish bar-restaurant and located in a beautiful setting, but definitely not for those who are short on cash. Women don't have to cover their hair. The minaret is said to enhance the visual alignment of the boulevard. [21] The works were carried out in four phases. Capturing some of the sea in one of your photos also makes for a different photo especially if youre arrived too late and the courtyard is full of people! This necessitated an additional leak-proof dyke to be built behind the earlier one; total dyke quantity involved was 20,000 cubic metres (710,000cuft). Excellent read! You can go to the mosque and buy tickets directly. Your email address will not be published. From the nearest train station at Casa-Port it is about a 20-minute walk to the mosque. They began building in 1989, and incredibly finished just 6 years later in 1993. The Hassan II Mosque cost about 585 million euros to build! I also lingered behind the group in some spots to take more photos. Travel lover, professional writer and football (soccer) obsessive, James loves nothing more than getting outside and exploring little known corners of the globe. Tours are easy to find and cost effective so check the tours shown above for something to suit your time frame and budget. If youre looking for a slice of authentic Casablanca life then this is definitely the place to go. I wandered around the exterior complex for a while witnessing as the waves crashed against the Mosques cliffside, local children played soccer on the neighboring boardwalk, and families played in the rocky shoreline below. [18], The roof is retractable, illuminating the hall with daytime sunlight and allowing worshippers to pray under the stars on clear nights. Summer Time Tour Schedule in Hassan Mosque. 1/3 of the Hassan II mosque is actually over the Atlantic sea, a feature inspired by a verse in the Quran which says the throne of God was upon the water. We actually dipped out on the day wed originally intended to go and came back the following day because the queue was that long. It is also forbidden to smoke, eat, or drink while visiting the mosque. The cedar comes from the Middle Atlas, and the granite from Tafraoute. And two pillars which stand either side of the Mihrab which are also Italian and made from carrara marble. Non-Muslim visitors can enter the mosque on tours that are held in English several times a day. Your email address will not be published. The target for the completion of The Mosque was the 60th birthday of King Hassan II in 1989 but it was not completed until August 30, 1993. The adoption of this plan has been described as "a conflict between King Hassan II the ancient aristocrat and King Hassan II the contemporary leader who must develop commerce and industry in order meet the needs of his country. *All treatments have entry to the hammam included in the price. Shorts and sleeveless clothes are absolutely forbidden. To make the life of the guides easier, please respect the hours and stay in your group while visiting. Moroccan residents and foreign students pay half price. As an affiliate, we receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. Youll also take off your shoes to explore the Mosque. Called B.H.P (highly resistant concrete), it offers a resistance to compression value of 1200 bars per sqcm (claimed to be a world record) and has a very quick setting time. Combined with many other attractions, these tours offer you great deals and bargains. Come 30 minutes early to buy your tickets at the ticket office. Remove your shoes before entering the mosque and take them with you. The Mosque is directly located on a cliff facing the Atlantic Ocean. The Hassan II Mosque is important enough in Islamic history to mention in textbooks though. It's best to take a guided tour early in the morning before the sightseeing buses filled with tourists arrive. So the believers of Casablanca can actually look at the sky and ocean of God as per Hassan's wishes. In addition to public donations and those from business establishments and Arab countries, western countries provided construction loans, which Morocco repaid. do they allow disabled people with walkers in? The whole building project was calculated to have cost an estimated $800 million, and it was recorded that funds were remarkably raised entirely through a public subscription. I hope you found this guide useful Have fun in Casablanca and enjoy the Mosque! At 210 metres (690ft) in height the minaret is the second tallest minaret in the world. If youre on a tight schedule, coming to Casablanca specifically to visit the Hassan II Mosque, or simply not a fan of waiting in long lines in the sweltering heat, then this is by far and away the best option. The building was commissioned by King Hassan II to be the most ambitious structure ever built in Morocco. In the first phase a leak-proof coffer dam was constructed to isolate and dry the work area. Can you go in at any time during the day or do they just let you in during the prayer time hours? What if you are a Muslim. To buy a ticket, stop at the Hassan II Mosque Museum. Commenced in 1980 and opened in 1993, it has been the inspired work . It is extremely small and doesnt really provide anything further by way of information than what you get on the tour. 99.9% of the construction materials used came from within Morocco. no doubt this is one of the biggest mosques in IRAN . Hassan Ii Mosque Address: Blvd Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Casablanca, Morocco, Hassan Ii Mosque Timing: 09:00 am - 02:00 pm, Best time to visit Hassan Ii Mosque(preferred time): 09:00 am - 02:00 pm, Time required to visit Hassan Ii Mosque: 02:00 Hrs. it would be respectful to cover your hair however and I did. Please note that the Get Your Guide offerings are not private tours as such, you will still join one of the scheduled official tours. Non-Muslims are only allowed to enter the mosque outside of prayer times and as part of a guided tour. Hassan Ii Mosque Hours Tours (Sept-June) Sat-Thurs 9am, 10am, 11am, and 2pm, Fri 9am and 2pm, July-Aug daily 2:30pm. Follow me through the sun and snow around the globe as I navigate an unsustainable industry and make planet-friendly travels easier for you. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Then the king of Morocco decided this needs to be changed and hired a French architect and some 6000 labourers to build the 7th largest mosque of the world and the largest of the country. Hassan II Mosque is a place of worship and meditation, and in order that the visits take place under the best conditions, you are requested to comply . [4] The mosque stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean; worshippers can pray over the sea but there is no glass floor looking into the sea. Tours are open from Saturday to Thursday in the mornings and two tour in afternoon: Saturday Thursday: at 9AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, Noon, and 2 PM in the afternoon. Capturing a bit of one of the arches in your photo to frame the minaret adds depth. The mosque cost around $800 million and was completely funded by donations from the Muslim community around the world. [12] It displays elements found in other Moroccan buildings such as the unfinished mosque in Rabat and the Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh. When construction ended in the early 1990s, 1,400 men worked days and 1,000 men worked nights to complete the major project. Learn more about the blog and me here. At 210 meters, the minaret is the tallest structure in Morocco and the tallest minaret in the world. "[9] The 41 fountains[11] in the courtyard are all well decorated. The construction of the Hassan II Mosque, designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, began in July 1986 on reclaimed land (with no compensation for former residents) in a dilapidated area near the ocean front. [16] It is ornamented with pale blue marble and Zellige tilework. It's not until you get close to the mosque that you realize just how impressive it is in both size and quality. Its minaret is the world's second tallest at 688 feet. "[12], The prayer hall is on the top of the mosque covered in windows The central hall is centrally heated, and provides spectacular underwater views of the Atlantic Ocean. Structural deterioration in the concrete wall was observed ten years after the mosque's completion. During the most intense period of construction, 1400 men worked during the day and another 1100 during the night. New Opening Hours - Review of Hassan II Mosque - Tripadvisor Explore the entire list of places to visit in Casablanca before you plan your trip. The tour lasts about 45 minutes. Now that it is build however, Moroccans seem really proud of their memorial. This means having your arms, legs, shoulders and chest covered. Even though the construction of this Mosque was directed by the Moroccan King Hassan II, everyone worked in safe conditions and earned a living wage. There are many nice cafes and beach bars along the way for you to stop and enjoy a delicious Moroccan mint tea! No one knows the exact figure but most estimates put it at around $800 million. Your email address will not be published. Working hours Prices Tour Rules Working Hours Between September 16th and March 14th Morning Afternoon From Saturday to Thursday 09h00 10h00 11h00 12h00 15h Friday 09h00 10h00 15h Working Hours . Salt water migrating into the porous concrete caused the rusting of the rebar steel reinforcements resulting in expansion of the steel and causing cracking of concrete. Try to take at least some images with yourself or others in them for a sense of scale. The tours are conducted in English, French, German or Spanish and you have to indicate in which language you want the tour. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You cant purchase tickets online beforehand, only from the ticket office at the mosque! Its layout is known as the basilican plan, which is different from the common practice of a T shaped plan adopted in many North African countries. Around 1980, King Hassan the II commissioned the mosque because he felt that Casablanca lacked impressive and beautiful buildings and a true landmark for the city. She's always battling unfashionably frizzy hair and you will never catch Jenny in anything but comfortable shoes. It is claimed some of the donations were less than voluntary and there was a fair bit of resentment from the people. One of the lesser known features of the Hassan II Mosque are the vast public hammams they house. And we are very happy we did. You can head here for drinks at the bar or a meal in the restaurant whilst soaking in the beautifully restored 1940s decor to the sounds of live jazz ringing in your ears. I wandered around for at least 20 minutes looking for the entrance, only to ask a security guard who pointed to an entrance so far that it wasnt even distinguishable by the bare eye. Hassan II Mosque is one of the most beautiful and largest mosques in the world and is an absolute must visit on any trip to Morocco. This is a paid parking area, but there are no ticket machines. In the third phase, the structural slabs and pillars on the exterior part of mosque exposed to the sea were demolished; 6,000 cubic metres (210,000cuft) of concrete was removed. Friday: 9AM and 10 AM in the early hours and 2 PM. The Hassan II Mosque is one of the few mosques that is open to Non-Muslims, and the inside of the mosque is just as beautiful as the outside so it is really worth a visit! Vosooqodoleh House. So you will need to carefully check when you are going to be in Casablanca to figure out when you can visit the mosque! The earlier tours tend to be the quieter ones, so its best to go on the 9am tour before the busloads of tourists arrive. The dome, arches and walls give a grand ambiance to the mosque. Only visit this place during the day locals advise to not visit this place after dark as it is not safe. A standard adult ticket to visit the Hassan II Mosque costs 130dh (10.50GBP, $12.50USD). Although it is only the 7th largest mosque in the world, Hassan II claims the title of having the largest minaret in the world at a time. "[12] In 1980, during his birthday celebrations, Hassan II had made his ambitions very clear for creating a single landmark monument in Casablanca by stating:[3]. In the 1980s, the city of Casablanca was not as replete with historical monuments as it is today. Apart from seeing the mosque, tourists can often leave Casablanca, Moroccos largest city feeling a bit unimpressed. The Moroccan public contributed by public subscription or donation. Non-Muslim visitors can enter the mosque on tours that are held in English several times a day. The style of the Hassan II Mosque shows strong Moorish influences reminiscent of the Alhambra and Mezquita in Spain. . Indulge in a traditional Moroccan tagine and of course, finish it off with some Moroccan mint tea. 15 Days.From Casablanca to Marrakesh$1260 USD. The minaret is 60 stories high topped by a laser. Scrub: 90dhs / 120 min Scrub & Soaping: 120dhs / 120 min, Scrub & Soaping & Rhassoul wrap: 200dhs / 150 min, Scrub & Soaping & Argan oil treatment: 350dhs / 150 min, Scrub & Soaping & Rhassoul wrap & Toning treatment with argan oil: 400dhs / 150 min, Scrub & Soaping & Precious wrap & Toning treatment with argan oil: 450dhs / 150 min, Kessa glove: 35dhsShampoo 10dhsShower gel 10dhsDisposable underpants 10dhsRental of fouta (towel/body wrap) 35dhAccessories bag (kessal glove, shampoo, shower gel, water bottle, fouta rental): 90dh. You have to buy your tickets at the ticket office, thats right at the beginning of the complex in front of the large parking lot. Get 10% off WayAway Plus with this code: TP-176426. Hope my post helps Enjoy your travels! I obviously learned a lot about Islam and Muslim culture in that course. The mosque is 2 km from the Casa Port train station along the boulevard Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah. This does mean that you don't have to stick to the mosque timetable and will almost always be in there with fewer people and also having the advantage of being able to ask your guide questions you may not ask otherwise. Although, I havent gone to Casablanca yet. Visiting Hassan II Mosque Casablanca: What To Expect! Required fields are marked *. My college mandated a religion course for all students. AFFILIATE INFO | COOKIE POLICYPRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE, 2023 Charge The Globe.Website by Geek Queen, History behind the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. The prayer hall is characterized by its rectangular shape and the size of its proportions: 200 m long, 100 m wide and 60 m high. Notable architectural features include the conspicuous columns, the horseshoe arches, and the innumerable muqarnas embellishing the ceilings. The old town (medina) is next to the souq, so spend some time wandering round the narrow streets and absorbing the local life. The market is not confined to the old walls either, its absolutely vast and starts just a few minutes walk from the Hassan II Mosque. Your email address will not be published. The building was commissioned by King Hassan II to be the most ambitious structure ever built in Morocco. They all have air conditioning and some have a balcony. The marble, wood carvings, and mosaics are very impressive, especially after rain when they glisten in the sunlight. (13th century) and comprises of several rooms and halls beautifully adorned with plaster-works. Two stories in height, it is constructed in a semi-circular shape, with abutting qibla wall and the mihrabsection. I've done trips from a few days to almost 2 years and while I do mostly travel solo, my husband Brad is often with me these days. Guided tours cost 120 DH or about 11 or 12.50 US $. In the fourth phase, new exterior protection works were built using high-strength concrete with 2205 (conforming to UNS S 32205 EN 1.442 standards) stainless steel rods as reinforcements for effective erosion control. The base to the top width ratio of 1 to 8 (between basement and the summit) has a marble covering on the exterior with austere decoration. On Fridays and during prayer times only Muslims can enter to pray. Sepahsalar Mosque, which was known as Motahhari Mosque after the Revolution, is located on the southeastern side of Baharestan Square.
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