LARGE MOSQUE

Started in 1102 by Youssef Ibn Tachfine, the Almoravid founder of Tlemcen, its construction was completed by his son around 1135 who embellished the minaret, the mihrab - of Andalusian inspiration, it is one of the most beautiful in the Maghreb - and the dome which precedes it.a century later, Yaghmoracen had seven new naves and a central dome built. Located in the heart of the city, the Great Mosque is remarkable for the regularity of its harmonious proportions, for its fine decoration and because it is one of the three Almoravid mosques in Algeria - the other two are those of Algiers and Nedroma.

We first enter the large prayer room (which is 50 x 25 m) consisting of thirteen naves and five rows of 72 pillars of different shapes. On the south wall, a finely carved wooden tablet evokes the existence of a beautiful library founded in the 14th century by Sultan Abu Hammou. The chandelier that adorns the central nave is a copy of a chandelier donated by Yaghmoracen whose remains (of the chandelier!) can be seen in the city museum. From this room, one reaches the 20 x 20 m courtyard decorated with a translucent onyx basin. The rectangular brick minaret, 29 m high and with 133 steps, is one of the oldest in the country.

On the southwest side of the mosque, the koubba of Sidi Merzouk is all that remains of the necropolis of Beni Zianes and may house the remains of Yaghmoracen.

An essential stopover not to be missed during your stay in Tlemcen!