Sheikh Ali al-Bakka Mosque
Mosque in Hebron, West Bank, Palestine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sheikh Ali al-Bakka Mosque, also known as the Shaykh Ali al-Baka Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الشيخ علي بكاء), is a 13th-century mosque in the northwestern section of the Old City of Hebron in the southern West Bank, Palestine. It is situated in the Harat ash-Sheikh (or Sheik Ali al-Bakka) quarter, one of the Old City's quarters, which is named after the mosque.[1]
| Sheikh Ali al-Bakka Mosque | |
|---|---|
مسجد الشيخ علي بكاء | |
The mosque in 2017 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Hebron, West Bank |
| Country | Palestine |
  Location of the mosque in the West Bank | |
 Interactive map of Sheikh Ali al-Bakka Mosque | |
| Coordinates | 31°31′42.3″N 35°06′13.5″E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Mamluk |
| Founder | Husam ad-Din Turuntay |
| Completed | 1282 |
| Minaret | 1 |
Overview
The mosque was founded by Husam ad-Din Turuntay in 1282 during the reign of Mamluk sultan al-Mansur Qalawun. Turuntay was the representative of the sultan in Jerusalem. The sanctuary is named after Sheikh Ali al-Bakka, a renowned Sufi religious leader from Iraq who lived in Hebron.[2] The minaret was erected by the viceroy and practical strongman of the sultanate, Sayf al-Din Salar (d. 1310).[3]
The original mosque was mostly demolished,[clarification needed] however the minaret still stands and is viewed as an exemplary work of Mamluk architecture. Sitting on a rectangular base, its shaft has a hexagonal shape. The minaret base has an arched corridor which leads to the courtyard. In 1978 a new mosque was built on the site, but preserved the remains of the original mosque.[2]
