Queen Victoria Mosque

Mosque in Cape Town, South Africa

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 / -33.922816389; 18.412152500
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]

## History

[edit]

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]

## See also

[edit]

* Islam portal
* South Africa portal

* Islam in South Africa
* List of mosques in South Africa

## 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.[6]
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

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f Davids, Achmat (1980). The Mosques of Bo-Kaap. Athlone, Cape Town: The South African Institute of Arabic and Islamic Research. p. 138.
2. ^ a b Worden, Nigel; Van Heyningen, Elizabeth; Bickford-Smith, Vivian (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. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
5. ^ "Jamia Masjid, 62 Chiappini Street, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town". South African Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRIS). 2 May 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
6. ^ a b Hutchinson, Michael (2006). Bo-Kaap: Colourful Heart of Cape Town. New Africa Books. pp. 78–. ISBN 978-0-86486-693-6.
7. ^ McCormick, Kay (2002). Language in Cape Town's District Six. Oxford University Press. pp. 32–. ISBN 978-0-19-823554-5.

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Mosques in South Africa

Gauteng|

* Kerk Street
* Nizamiye

KwaZulu-Natal|

* Juma (Grey Street)
* Riverside Soofie

Western Cape|

* Auwal
* Nurul Islam
* Palm Tree
* Queen Victoria

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* List
* Islam in South Africa
* Mosques by country

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