Hassan II Mosque (Grande Mosquée Hassan II)

Over

Korte feiten: Visitors often gasp at the prayer hall's vast cedar-beamed ceiling and the way sunlight filters through intricate zellij screens, casting patterned mosaics across marble floors. A towering minaret reaches about 210 meters and the sanctuary partly cantilevers over the Atlantic, so you can hear waves murmuring beneath the building during prayer.

Hoogtepunten: Step onto the prayer hall's glass floor and you can watch the sea curling beneath your feet while a 210-meter minaret fires a green laser at night to point the way to Mecca. Built by 6,000 craftsmen over seven years and completed in 1993, the complex holds 25,000 worshippers inside and another 80,000 in the courtyard, and the cedar ceilings along with zellij tiles smell faintly of resin and salt on warm afternoons.

Insidertips

• Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, and carry a light scarf in case staff request head covering.
• Wear socks or bring shoe covers because shoes must be removed before entering the main prayer hall.
• Photograph the minaret and Atlantic from the seafront esplanade, and use a wide-angle lens inside to capture mosaics and carved ceilings.
• Check posted guided-tour times and arrive 15 minutes early, tours fill quickly on Fridays and during public holidays.

Praktische info

Routebeschrijving

Officiële website

Meer attracties in Casablanca

Old Medina of Casablanca (Ancienne Médina)

Habous Quarter (Quartier des Habous)

Place Mohammed V (Square)

Ain Diab Corniche (La Corniche / Ain Diab Beach)