Sidi Ghanem Mosque, Historic mosque in Mila, Algeria
The Sidi Ghanem Mosque is a place of worship in the city of Mila, in northeastern Algeria, featuring a minaret that rises about 62 meters tall. The structure incorporates stone blocks from a Byzantine basilica that previously stood on the same site.
The mosque was built in 678 CE during the Umayyad expansion under the general Abu al-Muhajir Dinar, making it one of the oldest mosques in Africa. Its original name referred to this founder before it was later renamed after Sidi Ghanem.
The mosque is named after Sidi Ghanem, a Fatimid-era imam whose tomb is in Oran, not in Mila where the mosque stands. Inside, visitors can see stone blocks taken from an older Byzantine basilica and reused directly in the walls.
Climbing the minaret involves 365 steps in a narrow stairwell, so sturdy shoes and enough time for the ascent are recommended. There is no water available on site for ritual washing, so plan ahead if that is relevant to your visit.
The minaret was originally oriented toward Petra, which was used as the prayer direction in the earliest period of Islam, before being reoriented toward Mecca later on. This makes it one of the rare buildings where that early shift in religious practice is visible in the structure itself.
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