Tripoli Cathedral

Tripoli Cathedral
The Cathedral of Tripoli in the 1960s
Shown within Libya
Basic information
Location Tripoli,  Libya
Geographic coordinates Coordinates: 32°53′26″N 13°11′9″E / 32.89056°N 13.18583°E / 32.89056; 13.18583
Affiliation Roman Catholic Church
Rite African Rite
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Cathedral
Status Inactive
Architectural description
Architectural type church
Architectural style Romanesque
Groundbreaking 1928

Tripoli Cathedral (Italian: La Cattedrale di Tripoli; Arabic: كاتدرائية طرابلس‎) is a former Roman Catholic church located in Tripoli, the capital of Libya. It is situated on the Algeria/Elgazayer Square (Maidan al Jazair/Maydan elgazayer) in the city centre. It was converted into a mosque in 1970, with the St. Francis Pro-Cathedral now serving as temporary cathedral for the Apostolic Vicariate of Tripoli.

History

The Tripoli Cathedral was built circa 1923 and officially opened in 1928, during the Italian Libya colonial era.[1] The original architect was Saffo Panteri, who designed the Cathedral in a Romanesque style with a cupola (dome) reaching the height of 46 meters in total. The belltower (campanile) was decorated with Venetian style engravings.

The Tripoli Cathedral was the second commissioned Catholic church in the city, with the first commissioned Santa Maria degli Angeli, constructed by the Maltese community in 1870.[2]

There were around 50,000 Catholics in Libya (mostly in Tripoli and surroundings), comprising less than one percent of the population. Most of the Catholic population was composed of the remaining Italian Libyans, Maltese Libyans, Filipinos and other Catholic migrants. Most of who had already left Libya by 2010 - 2015 and the 2011 civil war.

Libyan architects have also contributed to its construction, notably Othman Najeem contributing to interior decoration work.

Gamal Abdel Nasser Mosque

The Algeria Square Mosque in 2012

After rising to power, the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi converted the Tripoli Cathedral into a mosque, the Gamal Abdel Nasser Mosque.[3] After having been significantly modified, many of its original features were removed and replaced with more modern Arabesque-style architecture.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Middle East Annual Review. Middle East Review. 1977. p. 262. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  2. ↑ TRIPOLI OF BARBARY by Romeo Cini, Maltamigration.com, Accessed 28 December 2009.
  3. ↑ "Tripoli Cathedral". New Statesman. 138: 26. 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
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