The Al-Omari Grand Mosque (Arabic: المسجد العمري الكبير), known as Jami' Al-Kabir, is a Sunni Islam mosque, located in the central district of Beirut, in Lebanon.

The building has been a place of worship including its original use as a Roman temple, and subsequently as a Roman church, before Beirut was conquered by Mamluk Egypt and it was converted into a mosque.

History

The Al-Omari Grand Mosque was originally a Roman temple, dedicated to the god Jupiter. The Ancient Roman influence is visible in some of the architectural elements, including the building's columns and foundations.[1]

During the Byzantine era, the building was made into a Roman basilica that featured intricate mosaics and architectural elements of the Byzantine style.[1] In the 7th century CE, the basilica was converted into a mosque.[1] During the Crusader occupation of Beirut, in the 12th century, the mosque was converted into the Church of Saint John.[1] Similar Romanesque churches with triple apses were built in Tyre and Tartus, using recuperated material such as Roman columns and capitals.[2]

In 1291, in the Ottoman era, the Mamluks captured Beirut, and under Islamic conquest the church was again converted into a mosque. It was renamed Al-Omari Mosque after the second caliph, and became known as "Jami' Al-Kabir", or the Great Mosque. Its Mamluk-style entrance and domes and minarets were added in 1350, reflecting traces of the former church's Byzantine style.[1][3]

Badly damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, the mosque's refurbishment was completed in 2004,[1] under the direction of Youssef Haidar.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Manasse, Jarred (September 16, 2023). "The History And Content Of The Grand Al-Omari Mosque In The City Of Beirut, Lebanon: Unveiling The Legacy Of A Great Mosque". Encounters Travel. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  2. ^ Enlart, Camille (1904). "La Cathédrale Saint-Jean de Beyrouth". Société Nationale des Antiquaires de France: centenaire 1804-1904 (in French). Paris: Klincksieck. pp. 121–133.
  3. ^ Al-Wali, Sheikh Mohammad Taha (1973). Tarikh al-masajid wal jawami' al-sharifa fi Bayrout (in Arabic). Beirut: Dar al-Kotob.
  4. ^ "AlOmari Grand Mosque". Islamic Architectural Heritage. IRCICA. 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2024.

Media related to Al-Omari Grand Mosque at Wikimedia Commons

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