The Grand Mosque

We are standing in front of the Grande Mosquée on Jamaa el-Kebir Street, between the port and the Petit Socco*. The Grande Mosquée is one of Tangier’s most evocative historic landmarks. Over the centuries, people of different faiths have gathered on this very site.

The original mosque dates back to the 11th century. Since then, the site has changed purpose twice and undergone many transformations.

During the period when Tangier was under Portuguese control, the mosque was converted into a cathedral.

In 1684, after a war won against the English, the Moroccans reconverted the site into a mosque. It was significantly expanded in 1815.

*A socco is a public market.

The most recent expansion of what is now known as the Grande Mosquée was completed in 2001 with private funds from King Mohammed VI, though the project had been initiated by his predecessor, King Hassan II.

The building’s main doorway will surely catch your eye with its impressive size and beautiful decoration, which stands out from the rest of the structure. The main door of a mosque represents the passage from the outside world into a sacred space.

At the top of the building, a square minaret enhances the architectural ensemble. It is mainly decorated with tiles and mosaics.

Local oral tradition in Tangier says that even before Muslims built the first mosque here, a Roman temple dedicated to Hercules* once stood on this same site.

* About 14 km west of Tangier, you’ll find the Grottes d'Hercule. According to mythology, the demigod Hercules is said to have rested there after separating Europe from Africa.

As with most mosques, access to the interior is restricted to Muslims.

Did you know? Tangier is considered the oldest city in Morocco, dating back to the time of the Phoenician civilization.

Phoenician merchants arrived in this area as early as the 8th century BC. The city later developed under the Carthaginians and the Romans, who recognized its strategic importance. Over time, 

Tangier came under Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, and English rule. It also held official status as an “international city” between 1923 and 1956, a period during which it flourished and distinguished itself from other Moroccan cities.