The third largest mosque in the world has been inaugurated in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, ahead of the holy month of Ramadan. Although it is the third largest mosque in the world, it is the largest mosque in Africa.
The mosque was inaugurated by the President of the country, Abdel Madjid Teboune, on Monday (26 February) local time.
The mosque was built along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Algeria. It is locally known as ‘Jamaa El-Jazir’ Mosque. The height of the minaret of the mosque is 869 feet. It is the tallest tower in the world.
In terms of size, the position of Jama al-Jazir is after the Holy Mosque of Mecca and the Holy Mosque of Medina. 1 lakh 20 thousand people can pray there together. The mosque has been built for more than 7 years on about 70 acres of land.
The mosque is decorated with wood and marble stones. It has a touch of traditional crafts from Arabia and North Africa. The construction of the mosque cost about 900 million dollars. A helipad has been placed in this mosque built with the help of a Chinese organization. There is also a library with a maximum capacity of 1 million books.
The inauguration of the mosque was only a formality. It has been open for domestic and foreign tourists for about five years. The first mosque was opened for prayers in October 2020. However, President Abdel Madjid Teboune was not present at that time because he was infected with Corona.
The construction of this mosque has been repeatedly delayed. The cost of construction has also increased several times. There is also criticism that the mosque is built in an earthquake-prone area. However, the Algerian government dismissed these criticisms.
