Auwal Mosque, First mosque in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa

The Auwal Mosque stands at the corner of Dorp and Buitengracht Streets in Bo-Kaap, its facade painted green. A square tower with a pointed dark dome and a round clock face rises from the left side. The central arched doorway has a pale surround and a small rectangular plaque above it; two windows to the right carry dark reddish-brown louvered shutters. Palm trees stand in front.

The mosque was founded in 1794 during British occupation by an Indonesian leader who had been released after 13 years of imprisonment. This establishment marked an important moment in building Muslim communities at the Cape.

The mosque serves as a center for the Cape Malay community, where Arabic and Afrikaans traditions remain alive and visible. You can see how this place continues to shape the identity and customs of people living in the neighborhood today.

The mosque stands at the corner of Dorp Street and Buitengracht Street in Bo-Kaap, a short walk from the city centre. It is an active prayer space, so visitors should come outside prayer times and dress modestly. The green facade, clock tower and palm trees in front make it easy to recognise from the street.

The Quran that Tuan Guru wrote out from memory while imprisoned on Robben Island is kept and displayed inside the mosque. The first imam also taught children and adults here in the madrasa, and the post of imam stayed with the family of Saartjie van de Kaap's husband, Achmad of Bengal, until Gasan Achmat died in 1980.