From Wikipedia - Reading time: 7 min
| Queen Victoria Mosque | |
|---|---|
The mosque in 2011 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 62 Chiappinni Street, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town |
| Country | South Africa |
Location of the mosque in Cape Town | |
| Geographic coordinates | 33°55′22.1390″S 18°24′43.7490″E / 33.922816389°S 18.412152500°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Completed | c. 1850 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome(s) | One (maybe more) |
| Minaret(s) | Two (maybe more) |
The Queen Victoria Mosque, also called the Jamia Mosque, is a mosque, situated at the corner of Chiappini and Castle street, in Cape Town, South Africa.[1] It is considered to be the first and oldest mosque in Cape Town,[2][3] and the largest in the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town.[4] The mosque is a National heritage site.[5]
While some sources mention that the mosque was built in 1850,[a] others mention that the land for building the mosque was granted in 1851.[b] It is a Shafee mosque[6] and was the first mosque built on land that was specifically given for a mosque site by the British Crown.[1] This may have been one reason it was referred to as Queen Victoria mosque.[1] Another reason it was referred to thus could have been the involvement of the British Crown in resolving disputes within the Muslim community.[7] The Jamia mosque site was granted to the Cape Muslims with the expressed assurance that it be utilised by all Muslims regardless of their differences.[1] The land grant resulted out of conditions in the Colony in 1846.[1][c]