Great Mosque of Qal'at Bani Hammad
| Great Mosque of Al Qal'a | ||
|---|---|---|
Year consecrated 1007-1008 | | |
| Status | Deserted | |
| Location | ||
| Location | Qal'at Bani Hammad, Algeria | |
  Shown within Algeria | ||
| Geographic coordinates | 35°48′50″N 04°47′36″E / 35.81389°N 4.79333°E | |
| Specifications | ||
| Minaret(s) | 1 | |
| Minaret height | 25m | |
| Materials | Brick, Marble, Stucco | |
The Mosque spans an area of over 3500 square meters (38,000 sq ft), taking on a rectangular layout.[4] It encompasses a vast courtyard, a hypostyle prayer hall, and a square minaret towering at 25 meters (82 ft) in height.[5][6] Regarded as one of the largest historic mosques in Algeria, second only to the Mansourah, it also Contains one of the country's oldest minarets.[7][8][9] Additionally, the mosque likely exerted an influence on subsequent Almohad minarets, notably the Giralda in Seville.[10][11] Together with other archaeological remnants of palatial structures, it stands as a primary testament to the opulence and impact of the Hammadid civilization.[9][12]
HistoryThe mosque was founded by the first Hammadid Emirate.[9][1] He hired skilled builders whom he brought from all corners of his domains. The Mosque is located in the lower part of the city, specifically in its southern section.[13] According to Ibn Khaldun, it is assumed that the Great Mosque of El Qal'a was built in the year 398 AH, which corresponds to the year 1007 and coincides with the founding of the city,[14] as is customary in the establishment of Islamic cities. Thus, the mosque was the first structure to be built, followed by the administrative center, and then the residential units.[15][16]
The mosque was modified during the reign of Emir Al Nacir (1062-1088), who undertook a second phase of construction.[5][8] It underwent transformations where the portico was expanded and extended to encircle the courtyard. The facade of the prayer hall was reinforced by closing some openings at the corners of the courtyard. Additional structures were added, and it was certainly during this phase that the maqsurah was built, with walls surpassing the roofs of the prayer hall. The entrances on either side of the minaret were closed off, and an additional floor was added to the corner constructions.[8] After the decline of the Qala'a of Beni Hammad due to the settlement of the Hilalian tribe in the region,[17] the mosque fell into abandonment and then into ruins until the colonial period when General de Beylié led a three-and-a-half-month excavation campaign in 1908, partially uncovering the Palace of the Lake and the Mosque. Between 1964 and 1972, Dr.Rachid Bourouiba conducted research at the Qalaa of Beni Hammad, during which he unearthed the Great Mosque. In 1974, the restoration of the mosque's minaret took place; from 1976 to 1982, a UNESCO plan for the preservation and restoration of the site was implemented,[18] and in 1987, an Algerian-Polish restoration mission was conducted on the Qal'a.[8] ArchitectureThe mosque of the Qalaa, like all cities in the rectangular shape, stood at 63 meters tall and 53 meters wide, encompassed by a fortified wall bolstered by rectangular pillars.[7][19]
Within the mosque, a prayer room measuring 53 meters in height and 34 meters in width boasts thirteen arches and eight pavements.[2][20][9]
The courtyard, spanning 53 meters in length and 26 meters in width, is separated from the prayer house by a walled enclosure featuring three accessible doors in the surrounding wall.[1]
Exterior EnclosureThe structure is surrounded by a 1.50-meter-high wall fortified with columns on the east side missing. These main doors served as connections to the exterior, granting entry to a series of rooms or chambers covering the plateau, likely serving a purpose similar to the Mosque of Sultan al-Kalaun in Cairo.[8][6]
CourtyardThe courtyard, spanning 53.20 by 26.90 meters, is encircled by a portico and paved with white tiles, with a cistern at its center supplied by a spring.[3]
This cistern, measuring 11.15 meters in length, 5.40 meters in width, and 2.80 meters in height, MinaretAt the heart of the rectangular tower, measuring 6.50 meters on each side, houses a staircase with one hundred and twenty-seven steps, winding around its center and leading to the top.[1][6]
Constructed on a square plan reminiscent of those in
A reconstruction of the original condition of the minaret by Léon Beylié  representation of the minaret in it's actual form. The minaret's palmettes and scrolls embellishes the entrance. In the middle, a series of blind or open arches, varying in shape from pointed to round, are superimposed.[8] Flanking this central register are blind niches, occasionally embellished with shell motifs, housing mosaic ceramic or cross designs remodeled in stucco at the rear, arranged symmetrically. Early researchers discerned in certain elements of the decoration a connection with ancient and Byzantine motifs.[6] The central register showcases, above the entrance door, a carved stone table, a partially preserved quintilobate arch, three stacked bays, and a recess with three semicircular arches. As for the lateral registers, they mirror each other's decoration, featuring, from bottom to top, a niche with a semi-cylindrical base crowned by a shell-shaped vault, and two niches with flat bases.[8][22]
Destroyed at its summit, it is presumed that the minaret was originally crowned with Marrakech.[3][8][6] The minaret's design and adornment are reminiscent of the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat.[8][23] Only the south-facing façade overlooking the courtyard is embellished. What sets it apart is its unique arrangement of ornamentation into three vertical registers, a pioneering feature in the history of Islamic art, later echoed in the minaret of the Giralda in Seville.[8][21]
InteriorThe Mosque's prayer hall is rectangular, measuring 53.20 meters in length and 34.20 meters in width, with thirteen columns. However, only their locations are now discernible.[8]
DecorationArchaeologists investigating the origin of its bricks forming crosses in the arches below.[21][19] These decorations are found exclusively on the southern facade of the minaret, with the other sides featuring only narrow windows.[1][8][15]
The Notably, the wall also housed stained glass windows. The various excavation endeavors have unearthed a wealth ofjewelry.[15][1] Presently, these artifacts are on display in museums across Algiers, Constantine, Sétif, and the in situ museum.[8]
InfluenceThe Mosque, particularly its This influence extended to other Almohad towers, such as those of the Kutubiyya and the Hassan Mosque in Rabat.[26][27] Furthermore, the minaret of Al Qal'a influence is also evident inMerinid mosques in Tlemcen, where the internal structure of Zayyanid minarets bears a striking resemblance to that of the Qal'at Banu Hammad Mosque.[20] Regarding the one of Mansourah Mosque, constructed by the Merinids in Tlemcen, its facade decorations seem to have been influenced by those of the Qal'at Banu Hammad and the Giralda in Seville.[20]
References
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