Al-Omari Grand Mosque
Topic: Religion
From HandWiki - Reading time: 3 min
| Al-Omari Grand Mosque | |
|---|---|
Arabic: المسجد العمري الكبير | |
 The mosque in 2008 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status |
|
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Central District, Beirut |
| Country | Lebanon |
  Location of the mosque in Beirut | |
| Geographic coordinates | [ ⚑ ] : 33°53′51″N 35°30′19″E / 33.8976°N 35.5052°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Youssef Haidar (2004) |
| Type |
|
| Style |
|
| Date established | 1291 (as an Islamic community) |
| Groundbreaking | 1113 (as a church) |
| Completed |
|
| Expression error: Unexpected < operator. | |
| Dome(s) | Three (estimate) |
| Minaret(s) | Two |
The Al-Omari Grand Mosque (Arabic: المسجد العمري الكبير), known as Jami' Al-Kabir, is a Sunni Islam mosque, located in the central district of Beirut, in Lebanon.
The building has been a place of worship including its original use as a Roman temple, and subsequently as a Roman church during the byzantine era, it was re-built in 635 ACE during the reign of Islam's second caliph, Umar Bin El Khattab and named in his honor,[1] this mosque was eventually conquered and converted into a Crusader church, before Beirut was conquered by Mamluk Egypt and it was re-converted into a mosque.
History
The Al-Omari Grand Mosque was originally a Roman temple, dedicated to the god Jupiter. The Ancient Roman influence is visible in some of the architectural elements, including the building's columns and foundations.[2]
During the Byzantine era, the building was made into a Roman basilica that featured intricate mosaics and architectural elements of the Byzantine style.[2] In the 7th century CE, the basilica was converted into a mosque.[2] During the Crusader occupation of Beirut, in the 12th century, the mosque was converted into the Church of Saint John.[2] Similar Romanesque churches with triple apses were built in Tyre and Tartus, using recuperated material such as Roman columns and capitals.[3]
In 1291, the Mamluks captured Beirut from the last crusader states (1099 - 1291), and under Islamic conquest the church was again converted into a mosque. It was renamed Al-Omari Mosque after the second caliph, and became known as "Jami' Al-Kabir", or the Great Mosque. Its Mamluk-style entrance and domes and minarets were added in 1350, reflecting traces of the former church's Byzantine style.[2][4]
Badly damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, the mosque's refurbishment was completed in 2004,[2] under the direction of Youssef Haidar.[5]
See also
- Islam in Lebanon
- List of mosques in Lebanon
References
- ↑ Najem, Tom; Amore, Roy C. (2021-06-15) (in en). Historical Dictionary of Lebanon. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 24. ISBN 979-8-7651-7440-1. https://www.google.com.sa/books/edition/Historical_Dictionary_of_Lebanon/hUqAEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=how+old+is+al-omari+mosque+in+beirut&pg=PA24&printsec=frontcover.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Manasse, Jarred (16 September 2023). "The History And Content Of The Grand Al-Omari Mosque In The City Of Beirut, Lebanon: Unveiling The Legacy Of A Great Mosque". Encounters Travel. https://www.encounterstravel.com/au/blog/al-omari-mosque.
- ↑ Enlart, Camille (1904). "La Cathédrale Saint-Jean de Beyrouth". Société Nationale des Antiquaires de France: centenaire 1804-1904. Paris: Klincksieck. pp. 121–133.
- ↑ Al-Wali, Sheikh Mohammad Taha (1973). Tarikh al-masajid wal jawami' al-sharifa fi Bayrout. Beirut: Dar al-Kotob.
- ↑ "AlOmari Grand Mosque". Islamic Architectural Heritage. IRCICA. 2019. https://www.islamicarchitecturalheritage.com/listings/alomari-grand-mosque.
External links
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