Great Mosque of Hama
Encyclopedia
The Great Mosque of Hama , is a mosque
in Hama
, Syria
. It is located about 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) west of the citadel. Built in the 8th century CE, it was heavily damaged in a 1982 uprising, but today it has been completely restored.
in Damascus
. The Great Mosque used to be a Byzantine
church which was adapted for Islam
ic use. The church itself had been built where a Roman
temple once stood. Some of the Byzantine structure still remains, but most of the building was destroyed during the Byzantine re-occupation of northern Syria in 986. The mosque's origin as a Christian
basilica can be seen in its three-aisled structure, and that its prayer hall is topped by five domes, in the shape of a cross. The courtyard to the north is enclosed by a vaulted portico and contains an elevated treasury, of the sort associated with those in the patio of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.
The Great Mosque has two minarets. One is a square-based tower adjacent to the prayer hall and from an inscription on its surface, dates back to 1124, although some argue that its base is of Umayyad origin, while others say it was constructed in 1153. The second minaret is octagonal in shape and was built by the Mamluk
s in 1427. At the side of the main northern courtyard is a smaller square courtyard containing the tombs of two 13th century Ayyubid kings.
The mosque was almost completely destroyed during the civil disturbances in Hama
in 1982, but has since been rebuilt by the Antiquities Department of the Syrian government. Both minarets were destroyed during the disturbances. By 2001, the Great Mosque has been fully restored and its reconstruction is faithful to the original Umayyad design in nearly every detail.
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...
in Hama
Hama
Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria north of Damascus. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. Hama is the fourth-largest city in Syria—behind Aleppo, Damascus, and Homs—with a population of 696,863...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. It is located about 400 metres (1,312.3 ft) west of the citadel. Built in the 8th century CE, it was heavily damaged in a 1982 uprising, but today it has been completely restored.
History
It was built by the Umayyads in the early eighth century and was modelled on the Umayyad MosqueUmayyad Mosque
The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus or formerly the Basilica of Saint John the Baptist , is located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world...
in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. The Great Mosque used to be a Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
church which was adapted for Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic use. The church itself had been built where a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
temple once stood. Some of the Byzantine structure still remains, but most of the building was destroyed during the Byzantine re-occupation of northern Syria in 986. The mosque's origin as a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
basilica can be seen in its three-aisled structure, and that its prayer hall is topped by five domes, in the shape of a cross. The courtyard to the north is enclosed by a vaulted portico and contains an elevated treasury, of the sort associated with those in the patio of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus.
The Great Mosque has two minarets. One is a square-based tower adjacent to the prayer hall and from an inscription on its surface, dates back to 1124, although some argue that its base is of Umayyad origin, while others say it was constructed in 1153. The second minaret is octagonal in shape and was built by the Mamluk
Mamluk
A Mamluk was a soldier of slave origin, who were predominantly Cumans/Kipchaks The "mamluk phenomenon", as David Ayalon dubbed the creation of the specific warrior...
s in 1427. At the side of the main northern courtyard is a smaller square courtyard containing the tombs of two 13th century Ayyubid kings.
The mosque was almost completely destroyed during the civil disturbances in Hama
Hama massacre
The Hama massacre occurred in February 1982, when the Syrian army, under the orders of the president of Syria Hafez al-Assad, conducted a scorched earth policy against the town of Hama in order to quell a revolt by the Sunni Muslim community against the regime of al-Assad...
in 1982, but has since been rebuilt by the Antiquities Department of the Syrian government. Both minarets were destroyed during the disturbances. By 2001, the Great Mosque has been fully restored and its reconstruction is faithful to the original Umayyad design in nearly every detail.
External links
- Great Mosque of Hama. Archnet Digital Library.