Kasbah Mosque, Mosque in Kasbah quarter, Essaouira, Morocco
Kasbah Mosque is a place of worship located within the fortified old city of Essaouira, topped with a square minaret visible from the ramparts. The structure contains a main prayer room with side halls and an open courtyard, all nestled within the historic walls of the Kasbah.
This mosque was built in 1764 when Sultan Mohammed Ben Abdellah founded Essaouira as a new coastal city. Its construction marked the formal establishment of Islamic religious life at the heart of this developing port settlement.
The mosque serves as a daily gathering place for prayer and community life among residents of the Kasbah quarter. It anchors the spiritual rhythm of the neighborhood and forms a natural meeting point within the old city.
The courtyard may be accessible to non-Muslim visitors at certain times, though the prayer halls remain reserved for worshippers. The exterior details and minaret are best viewed from the nearby pathways and open spaces that surround the fortification.
The mosque was originally designed with an attached school (madrasa) that provided both instruction and lodging for students. This combination of prayer space and learning facility shows how religious and educational purposes were intertwined in the life of the new city.
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