Fakr ad-Din Mosque

Fakr ad-Din Mosque
مسجد فخر الدين زنكي
The 13th century Fakr ad-Din mosque in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Basic information
Location Mogadishu
 Somalia
Affiliation Islam
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Completed 869
Dome(s) 2

The Fakr ad-Din Mosque (Arabic: مسجد فخر الدين زنكي‎), also known as Masjid Fakhr al-Din, is the oldest mosque in Mogadishu, Somalia. It is located in Hamar Weyne (literally "Old Hamar"), the oldest part of the city. It is the 7th oldest mosque in Africa.


Description

The mosque was built in 869 by the first Somali Sultan of the Sultanate of Mogadishu and founder of Garen Dynasty called Fakr ad-Din. He is believed to hail from the noble Somali tribe known as Ajuran (clan).

Stone, including Indian marble and coral, were the primary materials used in the construction of the masjid. The structure displays a compact rectangular plan, with a domed mihrab axis. Glazed tiles were also used in the decoration of the mihrab, one of which bears a dated inscription.

Photographs of the Fakr ad-Din mosque feature in drawings and images of central Mogadishu from the late 19th century onwards. The mosque can be identified amidst other buildings by its two cones, one round and the other hexagonal.

See also

References

Coordinates: 2°02′01″N 45°20′09″E / 2.03361°N 45.33583°E / 2.03361; 45.33583

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