Meczet Akkasz w Dżuddzie, 18th-century mosque in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
The Akkasz Mosque is a late 18th-century religious building in Jeddah with a central prayer hall and adjoining rooms. The layout was adapted to the street grid, creating unusual room shapes while maintaining proper orientation toward Makkah.
The building was constructed in 1784 and stands among the oldest surviving religious structures in the port city. Its existence documents Jeddah's long history as a significant center of Islamic life.
The building displays traditional Islamic ornamentation with geometric patterns and calligraphic inscriptions that reflect the craftsmanship of its era. These decorative elements shape the spaces today and speak to the artistic skills of those who created them.
The building is actively used by worshippers and welcomes both residents and visitors during daily prayer times. Appropriate dress and respectful behavior are expected, as it is a sacred place of worship.
Some rooms have triangular floor plans that resulted from fitting the building into the existing street network of the city. This unusual geometry is a visible sign of how older religious structures had to adapt to their urban surroundings.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.