Kasbah Mosque, Marrakesh

De **Kasbah Mosque** (Arabic: مسجد القصبة), dem sanso know am as de **Moulay al-Yazid Mosque**, be a historic mosque insyd Marrakesh, Morocco. Na dem originally build am by de Almohad ruler Yaqub al-Mansur insyd 1185–1190 CE. E dey locate insyd de Kasbah district, de city ein former citadel, near de site of ein historic royal palaces. Along plus de Kutubiyya Mosque, e be one of de most important historic mosques insyd Marrakesh.

## History

Na dem probably begin construction of de mosque around 1185 wey dem fini by 1190 (CE), for de apogee of de Almohad Empire. Na ebe commissioned by de Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (he rule 1184–1199) as part of de newly created imperial kasbah (citadel) district wich na e be de residence of de Almohad Caliph den de seat of government. Na dis follow plus a long tradition of rulers insyd de Islamic world (den beyond) wey build palace-cities anaa separate royal districts. Na dem build de Kasbah Mosque make ebe de congregational mosque give de caliph den give dis royal district, wer de ruler go go attend prayers.

Even after na al-Mansur den after de Almohad Empire go, dem hold de Kasbah Mosque in high esteem by de general population den subsequent rulers, wey e even compete plus de Kutubiyya Mosque for prestige. As early as de Marinid era, na dem begin dey bury rulers den important figures insyd a cemetery just to de south of de mosque, eventually e cam turn de site of de Saadian dynasty ein royal necropolis, dem know as de Saadian Tombs.

Insyd de late 16th century na de mosque be severely damaged by an enormous explosion for a nearby gunpowder store. De exact date of de event no be certain, plus de earliest estimation be 1562 while de latest na e fi happen be insyd 1573–1574. For any case, de Saadi sultan Moulay Abd Allah al-Ghalib (he rule 1557–1574) undertake extensive repairs den restorations insyd de wake of de explosion, plus de southern part of de mosque wey possibly be de most damaged. Na scholars traditionally suppose dat de repairs den reconstruction of dis period preserve de original Almohad design, although de stucco decoration visible insyd de mosque today be most likely entirely Saadian wey dem replace watever decoration wey exist earlier. A more recent study by Íñigo Almela Legorburu dey argue dat de Saadian reconstruction likely enact sam significant changes to de mosque ein internal configuration, wey dey result insyd ein current layout. Even after dese repairs, long cracks insyd de minaret remain visible up til de 20th century.

Later, de Alaouite sultan Sidi Muhammad Ibn Abd Allah (he rule 1757–1790) undertake anoda round of extensive restorations during de second half of de 18th century. De wooden cupola for de central entrance to de prayer hall from de courtyard dey date from dis time, as oda elements. Despite dis, e still dey appear dat dese later sultans faithfully preserve de form of de original mosque, wich fi be an indication of de esteem for wich na dem hold am.

For August 16, 1907, days after de French bombardment of Casablanca den invasion of de Shawiya plains, a group wey Madani El Glawi lead gather for de mosque make dem pledge allegiance to Abdelhafid as dema sultan over ein bro Abdelaziz insyd de Hafidiya.

Today, de mosque be still in use for prayer wey dem no dey permit make non-Muslims enter insyd (as plus oda mosques insyd Morocco).

## Location den urban environment

De mosque dey insyd de old Kasbah district of Marrakesh wey e dey locate no be far from de El-Badi Palace den from de current Royal Palace wey de Moroccan king still dey use today. Ebe flanked by Place Moulay el Yazid for ein eastern side. For ein south side be de Saadian Tombs, a narrow necropolis plus ornate mausoleums wey house de tombs of de Saadi dynasty. De mosque sanso be close to de city walls den to Bab Agnaou, de historical main gate to de Kasbah.

## Qibla orientation of de mosque

De mosque, like oda Almohad den medieval mosques insyd de early western Islamic world, no actually be oriented towards de "true" *qibla* dem use today (i.e. de direction of de shortest distance to de Kaaba insyd Mecca). Ein qibla be oriented towards de south plus an azimuth (from de true north) of 159 degrees, whereas de true qibla, dem see insyd modern mosques, be 91 degrees (towards de east). Dis be due to historical debates about de direction of de qibla for far western Islamic lands like Morocco den al-Andalus; as a result, de qibla orientation of Marrakesh ein mosques dey vary wey dey depend for de historical period insyd wich dem be built.

## References

## External links

* 3D reconstruction of the Almohad mosque by Almenara Blanca, showing the hypothesized original form of the mosque according to Inigo Almela
* Masjid Mawlay al-Yazid (Moulay al-Yazid Mosque) at *ArchNet*; includes further pictures of mosque interior.