Great Mosque of Hama

Mosque in Hama, Syria

35°8′3″N 36°44′43″E / 35.13417°N 36.74528°E / 35.13417; 36.74528ArchitectureTypeMosqueStyleUmayyadCompleted8th centurySpecificationsDome(s)5Minaret(s)2

The Great Mosque of Hama (Arabic: جَامِع حَمَاة ٱلْكَبِير, romanized: Jāmiʿ Ḥamāt al-Kabīr), is a mosque in Hama, Syria. It is located about 400 meters (1,300 ft) west of the citadel. Built in the 8th century CE, it was heavily damaged in a 1982 uprising, but today it has been completely restored.

History

The building used to be a temple to worship the Roman god Jupiter, later it became a church during the Byzantine era. When the Muslims entered Syria, they converted it to a mosque under the rule of Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah.

The Great Mosque has two minarets. One is a square-based tower adjacent to the prayer hall and from an inscription on its surface, dates back to 1124, although some argue that its base is of Umayyad origin,^[1] while others say it was constructed in 1153.^[2] The second minaret is octagonal in shape and was built by the Mamluks in 1427.^[1] At the side of the main northern courtyard is a smaller square courtyard containing the tombs of two 13th century Ayyubid kings.^[1]

The mosque was almost completely destroyed during the civil disturbances in Hama in 1982,^[1] but has since been rebuilt by the Antiquities Department of the Syrian government.^[2] Both minarets were destroyed during the disturbances.^[2] By 2001, the Great Mosque has been fully restored and its reconstruction is faithful to the original Umayyad design in nearly every detail.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Mannheim, 2001, p.218.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ring, Berney, Salkin, La Boda, Watson, and Schellinger, 1996, p.138.

Bibliography

Mannheim, Ivan (2001). Syria & Lebanon Handbook: The Travel Guide. Footprint Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-900949-90-3..
Ring, Trudy; Berney, K.A.; Salkin, Robert M.; La Boda, Sharon; Watson, Noelle; Schellinger, Paul (1996). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Middle East and Africa. Routledge. ISBN 1-884964-03-6..