Mosque Hassan II

When we were traveling through Turkey to Greece last year, Glenn and I thought that we had seen enough mosque to last us a lifetime and wanted to give Mosquee Hassan II in Casablanca a miss. However, I did a quick flickr search and was immediately astounded by the number of breathtaking shots. Mosquee Hassan II is so different from the mosque in Turkey. It is morden (heated floors, automatic doors, a laser on tis summit that projects a beam towards Mecca) and seems to possess more of a Moroccan flavor than a Muslim one. Now, does this observation even make sense?

In other words, it seems (for me) to resemble one of those refurbished Riads in the imperial cities of Fez and Marrakech all eager to front the page of glossy travel magazines, being at once exotic and modern. By golly, it was even designed by renowed French architect, Michel Pinseau.

Yet, one cannot deny that it is a great symbol of Morocco's progress and willingness to embrace the tenets of modernity coupled with a strong determination to retain its traditional and religious roots in a quickly changing world.

But whatever it is, I know my photographer boyfriend would have a field day. Somehow, we must try our very best to factor in a one hour tour of  this masterpiece into our itinerary. What a beauty!

"I wish Casablanca to be endowed with a large, fine building of which it can be proud until the end of time ... I want to build this mosque on the water, because God's throne was on the water. Therefore, the faithful who go there to pray, to praise the creator on firm soil, can contemplate God's sky and ocean"

- King Hassan II
July 9, 1980
in a speech on his birthday

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27342758@N06/2703130188/
courtyard of the Mosquee

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27342758@N06/2837170855/

part of the mosque is built on reclaimed land
the minaret is the tallest structure in the whole of Morocco

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paslematin/3584200757/sizes/m/

The mosquee Hassan II is open to non-muslims on accompanied one-hour visits

SAT- THURS 9AM, 10AM, 11AM, 2PM (WINTER), 2:30PM (SUMMER)
FRI 9AM, 2PM/2:30PM