Hassan II Mosque

Hassan II Mosque, Morocco

The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca illuminated by a golden sunrise from the coast.

Casablanca's Atlantic-edge landmark, a large marble mosque built partly over the sea, is worth a morning on any Morocco trip.

The place

The Hassan II Mosque stands on a headland in Casablanca, where the old harbour meets the El Hank lighthouse on the Atlantic side of the city. The complex covers about 9 hectares and combines the prayer hall with a madrasa, hammams, a museum of Moroccan history, conference rooms and a large library. Gardens and fountains fill the spaces between the buildings. Much of the mosque sits on a platform that reaches out over the water, and it is approached from land along a wide boulevard on its southern side.

The prayer hall is finished in marble, and its roof can be opened. The minaret rises 210 metres, and at night a laser on its top sends a beam towards Mecca. Inside, carved woodwork, plasterwork and zellige tilework cover much of the surface, and the craftsmanship is the main reason the building repays a slow visit. The hall can take 25,000 worshippers, and the outside grounds hold many more during big prayers.

The seafront setting is unusual for a mosque of this size. Two breakwaters protect the foundations from waves that can reach 10 metres, and the sea breeze keeps the air fresh. The gardens are well tended, and families often gather on the lawns for picnics, which gives the place a relaxed feel. Casablanca is a busy port and commercial city, so the mosque's calm contrasts with the traffic on the boulevard. The complex is busiest around Friday midday prayers.

Its story

The mosque grew out of a royal question about how to honour the dead. When King Mohammed V died in 1961, King Hassan II asked the country's best artisans to propose a mausoleum that would express the devotion the late king inspired. The mausoleum was eventually sited in Rabat, but the ambition to build something monumental stayed with Hassan II. In 1980, on his birthday, he spoke of wanting Casablanca to have a building its people could be proud of, set on the water so that worshippers could pray on firm ground while looking out over the sea.

Michel Pinseau, a Frenchman who had spent time living in Morocco and understood its traditional crafts, was given the job of designing the mosque. The engineering fell to Bouygues, a construction group. Work began in July 1986. The schedule aimed for completion in time for the king's 60th birthday in 1989, but the building ran late, and it was formally opened in August 1993, close to the anniversary of the Prophet's birth.

Paying for it was the controversy. Morocco is a lower-middle-income country, and the construction cost was estimated at about 585 million euros. Much of the money came from ordinary people: around twelve million donors gave, each receiving a receipt and certificate, and the smallest gift was 5 dirhams. Businesses and foreign governments contributed as well, and Western lenders provided construction loans, which Morocco repaid. The scale reflects a wish to rival the great mosques of the Islamic world, even though the government lacked the funds to match that wish on its own.

What to see

Culture

Hassan II Mosque is a working place of worship before it is a monument, so the visit follows the rhythm of prayer. Modest dress is expected: covered shoulders and knees suit both men and women, and a scarf for the hair is useful for women. Footwear comes off at the threshold, so shoes that slip on and off easily are the practical choice. Groups of worshippers gather in the hall and forecourt for the daily prayers, and voices should drop in those areas. Photography of the building is common, but people at prayer should not be photographed without asking. Casablanca is a busy commercial city, so the quiet of the prayer hall can feel like a change of pace from the boulevard outside. Eating and drinking are best kept outside the mosque grounds, since the gardens are used by families for picnics and the complex is first and foremost a place of prayer. Friday midday prayers draw the largest congregations, and the forecourt can be crowded then. Keep to the walkways and do not step onto the prayer carpets with shoes on, even when the hall looks empty.

What to wear

In Casablanca, traditional dress is the djellaba, a long, loose robe with a hood that men and women have worn across the country. Finer versions are made of wool or cotton, with careful stitching at the neck and cuffs. Women's formal kaftans are often silk or brocade with embroidery at the sleeves and hem. The babouche, a backless leather slipper, is the usual footwear to go with it. In the city itself, most people wear Western-style clothes: jeans, shirts, blazers and office dress. Many women wear headscarves, and many men wear plain trousers and shirts. Everyday fashion is practical and urban.

For a visit to the mosque, wear clothes that cover shoulders and knees, whatever the weather. Casablanca can be warm in summer and mild in winter, and the sea breeze at the shore makes a light layer useful. Choose loose trousers or a long skirt, with a shirt that has sleeves. Carry a light scarf that you can drape over your hair, which is useful in the prayer areas. Pick shoes that slip off easily, since you will remove them at the threshold, and bring a pair of socks.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Winter (December to February) brings the mildest temperatures, with daytime highs around 25 to 27 C, but it is also the wettest stretch of the year, and sea breezes keep the coast fresh. Summer is warmer and winter is wetter.

How long. 1–2

Getting there. Fly into Mohammed V International Airport, then take a taxi or the train into Casa-Port station. From there the mosque is a walk of roughly twenty minutes along the seafront boulevard, or a short taxi ride.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources