Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque
Mosque in Oran City, Oran Province, Algeria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque (Arabic: مسجد عبد الله بن سلام) is a mosque in Oran, Algeria. Formerly the Great Synagogue of Oran (French: Grande synagogue d'Oran), it was the largest synagogue in Africa.[1]: 105 Also known as Temple Israélite, it was located on Boulevard Joffre, currently Boulevard Maata Mohamed El Habib.
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- 1918 (as a synagogue)
- 1975 (as a mosque)
| Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque | |
|---|---|
مسجد عبدالله بن سلام | |
| |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Boulevard Maata Mohamed El Habib, Oran |
| Country | Algeria |
  Location of the mosque in northern Algeria | |
 Interactive map of Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque | |
| Coordinates | 35°42′00″N 0°39′01″W |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Synagogue architecture |
| Style | Moorish Revival |
| Completed |
|
History
Construction of the Orthodox Jewish synagogue began in 1879 at the initiative of Simon Kanoui, and took 38 years to complete.[1]: 53 The synagogue was completed in the Neo-Mudéjar and Moorish Revival styles. When Algeria gained its independence in 1962, almost all Algerian Jews,[2] who were considered French citizens since the Crémieux Decree of 1870,[3] were repatriated to France alongside the Pied-Noir settlers.[2]
In 1975, the synagogue was converted into a mosque[1]: 105 and named after Abdullah ibn Salam, a seventh-century Jew from Medina and companion of Muhammad who converted to Islam.
