Sidi Ghanem Mosque, Historic mosque in Mila, Algeria
The Sidi Ghanem Mosque in Mila is a place of worship featuring a 62-meter minaret with 365 steps that has served different purposes over the centuries. Inside, it incorporates stone blocks from a former Byzantine basilica, showing how the building was constructed using materials from an older structure.
The mosque was built in 678 CE during the Umayyad conquest under Abu al-Muhajir Dinar and ranks among Africa's oldest places of worship. The name later changed to Sidi Ghanem, honoring a Fatimid Imam whose tomb is located in Oran.
The mosque's name changed from Abu al-Muhajir Dinar to Sidi Ghanem, honoring a Fatimid Imam whose tomb remains in Oran.
The site has tight interior spaces, so visitors should wear sturdy shoes for climbing the 365 minaret steps and allow time for the ascent. Note that there is no water on site for ritual washing, so plan your visit accordingly.
The minaret contains an unusual architectural detail: it originally aligned with the prayer direction toward Petra before being reoriented later. This shift in orientation makes the structure a rare example of how religious requirements led to subsequent architectural adjustments.
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