Queen Victoria Mosque

Mosque in Cape Town, South Africa

Queen Victoria Mosque

Location
Location| Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa

Shown within South Africa

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Queen Victoria Mosque (Africa)

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Geographic coordinates| 33°55′22.1390″S 18°24′43.7490″E﻿ / ﻿33.922816389°S 18.412152500°E﻿ / -33.922816389; 18.412152500
Architecture
Type| Mosque

The Jamia mosque or Queen Victoria mosque is situated at the corner of Chiappini and Castle street, Cape Town.[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]

## History

[edit]

While some sources mention that the mosque was built in the year 1850,[a] others mention that the land for building the mosque was granted only in the year 1851.[b] It is a Shafee mosque[5] 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.[6] 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]

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Worden, et al. (2004) mention that the mosque was built in 1850.[2]
2. ^ Hutchinson (2006) writes that the mosque site was approved only on 19 October 1851 and the title deeds were transferred three years thence.[5]
3. ^ In 1804, the Cape was threatened by war; the increasing clashes on the Eastern Frontier required the complete trust of those who lived in the Colony, leading to the inclination to appease the Muslim community.[1]

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f Achmat Davids, The Mosques of Bo-Kaap-page 138, The South African Institute of Arabic and Islamic Research Athlone, Cape Town, 1980
2. ^ a b Nigel Worden; Elizabeth Van Heyningen; Vivian Bickford-Smith (2004). Cape Town: The Making of a City. New Africa Books. pp. 187–. ISBN 978-0-86486-656-1.
3. ^ "The colourful Bo-Kaap district in Cape Town, South Africa". Insightguides.com. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
4. ^ "Mosques -". Bokaap.co.za. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
5. ^ a b Michael Hutchinson (2006). Bo-Kaap: Colourful Heart of Cape Town. New Africa Books. pp. 78–. ISBN 978-0-86486-693-6.
6. ^ Kay McCormick (2002). Language in Cape Town's District Six. Oxford University Press. pp. 32–. ISBN 978-0-19-823554-5.