Al-Muallaq Mosque
Mosque in Acre, Northern, Israel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The al-Muallak Mosque (Arabic: المسجد المعلق, romanized: Masjid Al-Muallaq; Hebrew: מסגד אל-מועלק, romanized: Misgad Al-Muallak) also known as the Mosque of Daher al-Umar (Arabic: مسجد ظاهر العمر) is a mosque, located in Acre, in the northern district of Israel.
| Al-Muallaq Mosque | |
|---|---|
المسجد المعلق מסגד אל-מועלק | |
The mosque in 2009 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Branch/tradition | Sunni |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Acre, Northern |
| Country | Israel |
  Location of the mosque in northern Israel | |
 Interactive map of Al-Muallaq Mosque | |
| Coordinates | 32°55′15″N 35°04′08″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Islamic architecture |
| Style | Ottoman |
| Founder | Daher al-Umar |
| Completed | 1758 CE (as a mosque) |
| Minaret | One: (partially demolished in 1950) |
History
Up until 1746, the structure was used as a synagogue, called the Ramchal Synagogue,[1] by Acre's Jewish residents.[2]
Daher al-Umar, an Arab ruler of Acre, rebuilt the former synagogue as a mosque in 1758. It was built in a courtyard on the site of a structure commissioned by the Crusaders and which later became the gate to the Genoaese quarter of the city. The Jews owned the building when Daher chose to transform it into a mosque, but he compensated them by building a synagogue, located in Acre's Jewish quarter.[2] Leftover features of the former synagogue include the niche for the Holy Ark and inscriptions in Hebrew.[3]
Architecture
The mosque is positioned along the edge of Acre's Old City market, situated between Khan al-Umdan and Khan al-Ifranj, and is risen over the street.[2] From the outside, the main indicators of the mosque are its low-lying dome and the round base of its former minaret.[3] The mosque's entrance is located beneath the base of the original minaret.[3] The minaret was demolished by the municipality of Acre in 1950, citing a public safety risk.[3] The body of the mosque is mainly constituted by a large, square-shaped prayer hall,[2][3] A triple-domed portico precedes the prayer hall's entrance.[3] Beside the prayer hall is a smaller room that was used as a library.[2] A stairway beneath a covered entryway leads into the courtyard.[3]
