The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-05-17
The Grand Mosque, KairMan.

Excepting the French officers, only O
single traveller had entered there before
me; this was Mr.. A. NJ. Broadlev, the
Times correspondent, whose article on
Kairwan had already made quite sen.
sation. The general plan of the Grand
Mosque takes the form of a parallelo.
gram. The exterior, although i'm.
posing, is meaningless enough, and re.
sembles by its massive solidity fortifi
cation rather than a mosque, save that
in the middle of the northwest face {
remarkable minaret, an enormous
square tower built of dressed stone
rises to great height, surmQunAed by
two tiers OF open-work, trace
stand out in blazing Nhitenj.ss aass.
the blue of the sky. Two principal
doors on the sides merit examination;
they are almost the only feature of
interest on the exterior.
If the outside had not satisfied me,
the interior offered me much more than
1 had hoped, At first sight one feels
that the breath of Inspiration has
passed there; one recognizes the
hand of those ''masters of liv-
ing stones" as they said in the
Middle Ages, whose art, infused with a
deep and burning faith, wrought into
the materials they used the very glow
of their souls.
Like the Mosque of Cordova and the
basilicas, with which it has more than
one point of resemblance, the Dilemma
el-Kebir has much more breadth than
height Unlike the Gothic churches,
which shoot toward Heaven, the dome
of the Mihrab Sanctuary, so thick
that eight days were necessary to pierce
hole for the suspension rod, is little
more than seventy feet high. A mystic
shadow fills the holy edilice, which is
only lighted by large door, and by
some glass windows of marvellous
brightness, due, without doubt, to pro-
cesses now lost.
Columns of porphyry, of jasper, of
marble, and of other precious materit
ais, one hundred and ninety-four ii
number, form veritable forest. TheA
columns, of RomaneSque and Byzantin
origin, are of the most varied forms
Smooth or tluted, surmounted by Greek
Roman, Maltese, and still other CAPT
tails, incongruous, contradictory, the
form, Notwithstanding, an e1aSemblE
which enchants the beholder as mucE
as, and perhaps more, than more req
ular architecture could do. Unity re-
suits from multiplicity; acanthus and
clover leaves, homework, bright cob
ors, and old dull tones-all combining
gracefully, and forming magnificent
monumental bouquet. There is - -
or no paraphernalia; the iconotn.-.
genius of the Mussulman revo}tS al
the theatrical mise en- scene which il
other worships impairs the sanctity O
the idea of God. No affairs, no statues
no images, nothing of that which ma
terializes for men the sovereign AuthoI
OF the world. Summer and winter, 3
mat on the pavement, raised seat
and a pulpit for the man who comes I'd
read and explain the Koran; lamps
some old pieces of faience and poly
chrome ornaments in the sanctuary
these are all. No spectacle distracts
the thought no liturgy imposes upon
it an obligatory formula; the senses are
impressed only by the majestic grand
Cul VI l!IC IIlOiullCllU, u IlIttlCSJN SN GU
and simple, which uplifts the soul.
The cloister or interior covers nearl0
twice the area of the room for prayers.
1t is surrounded by q double colonnade
except on the minaret side, where ar.
the rooms for additions, and the store.
where are arranged the mating, lamps
ETC., which ornament the edifice at Che
grand fetes. The. cloister and TIL
room for prayers form the mosque.
In going back from the end of TIL
court to the foot of the minaret, thu
coup d'@1 is nearly fairy-like. TT
sanctuary is there before you with Z
grand porch, its columned galleries, s.
gracefully shooting arches, its aspect
temple and basilica. Strange edific
exquisite and barbarous-a heaping
of incongruous materials, veritab
church of pirates, made of piec
robbed or conquered from many CT (
izations. 81
In the strong light, parts of thG,tsE
nice and melon-shaped white dtllF
cleaned and sparkled, while the re9E
the building was hathed in bluekASt
transparent shadow, which gave tb5d
mysterious aspect. Flocks of pi5Los
winged their way from the afeAess9,PFs
came flutterng down Familiarity be
me. 1t was an Oriental dream tull
into stoned. +. JacaSSy, IN Harp
Magazine.