Djamaa el Djedid

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Djamaʽa al-Djedid
الجامع الجديد
Religion
AffiliationIslam
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusMosque
StatusActive
Location
LocationAlgiers
CountryAlgeria
Map
Architecture
TypeIslamic architecture
Style
Completed1660 CE
Specifications
Dome1
Dome height (outer)24 m (79 ft)
Minaret1
Minaret height30 m (98 ft)[a]
MaterialsStone; Italian marble
[1]

The Djamaʽa el Djedid (Arabic: الجامع الجديد, romanized: Jamaa El Jedid, lit. 'New Mosque'),[2][3] also rendered Djamaa al-Djedid,[2] is a mosque in Algiers, the capital of Algeria.[4]

History

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The mosque was completed in 1070 AH (1659/1660 CE) according to an inscription over its main entrance portal. That inscription also attributes its construction to al-Hajj Habib, a Janissary governor of the Algiers region appointed by the Ottoman imperial administration in Constantinople.[3]

During the French colonial rule, the mosque was called the Mosque of the Fisherman's Wharf (French: Mosquée de la Pêcherie; Mesdjed el-Haoutin).[2][4]

Mohamed Charef served as imam from 1908 until 2011.[citation needed]

Architecture

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The central dome reaches a height of 24 metres (79 ft) and rests on four pillars via a drum and four pendentives.[3] These four corners are enclosed by four octagonal cupolas. Between these square spaces, barrel vaults cover three sides whilst the fourth area, facing the qibla wall, is covered by a fourth vault with three bays, flanked on both sides by an aisle.[3]

Ottoman patronage directed the structure in terms of both the layout and the decoration. The building is unique in its mixture of multiple architectural traditions, including elements from Andalusian and southern Italian religious architecture, influential in Algeria at the time.[4] Carvings in the mosque's interior reveal Italian influences while the mihrab's arch follows Andalusian models. The use of Italian marble instead of wood for the minbar reflects Ottoman traditions, though the components are all typical of North African minbars.[3]

The mosque, c. 1840

The mosque forms the eastern edge of the Place des Martyrs. The qibla wall serves busy Amilcar Cabral Boulevard. The Almoravid Great Mosque of Algiers (built c. 1097 CE) also gives on the same boulevard, 70 metres (230 ft) to the east.[4] The mosque got its informal name from its proximity to the fishing harbour, and attendance by the local fishermen. The mosque measures 27 metres (89 ft) wide and 48 metres (157 ft) long with the qibla wall forming the southern edge of the building.[4]

The stone structure of the mosque is completely whitewashed on its exterior, including the domes, resulting in a unified white appearance. One of the only hints of colour on the exterior is the thin line of tile trimming the decorative rampart on the mosque's walls facing the Place des Martyrs. Though most of the mosque reveals a clear Ottoman influence, the minaret is based almost entirely on traditional North African square models. Initially 30 metres (98 ft) high, today[when?] it's only 25 metres (82 ft) above the level of the street, due to the gradually rising street level. The clock, that was integrated into the minaret by French architect Bournichon, was originally part of the Palais Jenina.[3]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Due to the rising street level, the minaret stands at 25 m (82 ft) above the street level.

References

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  1. ^ Blair, Sheila; Bloom, Jonathan M. (1995). The Art and Architecture of Islam 1250-1800. Yale University Press. p. 255. ISBN 978-0-300-06465-0.
  2. ^ a b c Papadopoulo, Alexandre (1979), Islam and Muslim Art, Harry N. Abrams, p. 280, ISBN 0810906414
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lafer, Ali (2017). "Djamaʽa al-Djedid (New Mosque)". Discover Islamic Art. Museum with No Frontiers. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e Belakehal, Azeddine; Aoul, Kheira Tabet; Farhi, Abdallah (2015). "Daylight as a Design Strategy in the Ottoman Mosques of Tunisia and Algeria". International Journal of Architectural Heritage. 10 (6). Taylor & Francis: 42. doi:10.1080/15583058.2015.1020458.
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Media related to Djamaa el Djedid at Wikimedia Commons