Al-Omari Grand Mosque
Mosque in Beirut, Lebanon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Al-Omari Grand Mosque (Arabic: المسجد العمري الكبير), known as Jami' Al-Kabir, is a Sunni Islam mosque, located in the central district of Beirut, in Lebanon.
- Roman temple
- Byzantine Basilica
- Mosque (7th cent.)
- Church (12th cent. Crusader era)
- Mosque (13th cent. - since 1291)
| Al-Omari Grand Mosque | |
|---|---|
Arabic: المسجد العمري الكبير | |
The mosque in 2008 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status |
|
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Central District, Beirut |
| Country | Lebanon |
  Location of the mosque in Beirut | |
| Coordinates | 33°53′51″N 35°30′19″E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Youssef Haidar (2004) |
| Type | |
| Style | |
| Established | 1291 (as an Islamic community) |
| Groundbreaking | 1113 (as a church) |
| Completed |
|
| Specifications | |
| Dome | Three (estimate) |
| Minaret | Two |
The building has been a place of worship including its original use as a Roman temple, and subsequently as a Roman church during the Byzantine era, it was re-built in 635 ACE during the reign of Islam's second caliph, Umar Bin El Khattab and named in his honor,[1] this mosque was eventually conquered and converted into a Crusader church, before Beirut was conquered by Mamluk Egypt and it was re-converted into a mosque.
History
The Al-Omari Grand Mosque was originally a Roman temple, dedicated to the god Jupiter. The Ancient Roman influence is visible in some of the architectural elements, including the building's columns and foundations.[2]
During the Byzantine era, the building was made into a Roman basilica that featured intricate mosaics and architectural elements of the Byzantine style.[2] In the 7th century CE, the basilica was converted into a mosque.[2] During the Crusader occupation of Beirut, in the 12th century, the mosque was converted into the Church of Saint John.[2] Similar Romanesque churches with triple apses were built in Tyre and Tartus, using recuperated material such as Roman columns and capitals.[3]
In 1291, the Mamluks captured Beirut from the last crusader states (1099–1291), and under Islamic conquest the church was again converted into a mosque. It was renamed Al-Omari Mosque after the second caliph, and became known as "Jami' Al-Kabir", or the Great Mosque. Its Mamluk-style entrance and domes and minarets were added in 1350, reflecting traces of the former church's Byzantine style.[2][4]
Badly damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, the mosque's refurbishment was completed in 2004,[2] under the direction of Youssef Haidar.[5]
