Grand Mosque of Évry
Encyclopedia
With its minaret
, the Grand Mosque of Évry, in Évry, France
, is one of the largest mosque
s in Europe, exceeded in size only by the Mosque of Rome
and by the Ahmadi Mosque
in London
. A cultural center is associated with the building.
A process was initiated in the early 1980s to collect funds to build the mosque in Évry. The modest results of this effort led to a search for additional funding from the Gulf states. The Saudi Sheikh Akram Aadja saw that the financing was completed. The first stone was laid in 1984, and construction work began in 1985. Interior decoration was funded by the Hassan II
Foundation.
The mosque opened ten years later, in 1995, the same year as the Cathédrale d'Évry
. It was the work of the architect Henri Baudot, who has constructed several buildings in Algeria
and Tunisia
.
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
, the Grand Mosque of Évry, in Évry, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, is one of the largest mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s in Europe, exceeded in size only by the Mosque of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and by the Ahmadi Mosque
Baitul Futuh
The Baitul Futuh Mosque in London has been deemed the second largest mosque complex in Western Europe, behind the Mosque of Rome. Completed in 2003 at a cost of approximately £5.5 million, entirely from donations of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the mosque covers an area of and the full complex...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. A cultural center is associated with the building.
A process was initiated in the early 1980s to collect funds to build the mosque in Évry. The modest results of this effort led to a search for additional funding from the Gulf states. The Saudi Sheikh Akram Aadja saw that the financing was completed. The first stone was laid in 1984, and construction work began in 1985. Interior decoration was funded by the Hassan II
Hassan II of Morocco
King Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...
Foundation.
The mosque opened ten years later, in 1995, the same year as the Cathédrale d'Évry
Évry Cathedral
Évry Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the new town of Évry in France.The Diocese of Corbeil or Corbeil-Essonnes was created in 1966, and the parish church of Saint-Spire was elevated to the status of the bishop's seat as Corbeil Cathedral, but neither it nor any other of the existing...
. It was the work of the architect Henri Baudot, who has constructed several buildings in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
.