Local mosque · 2003

Ruins of Songo Mnara: Songo Mnara Town Wall Mosque

  • Tanzania
Ruins of Songo Mnara: Songo Mnara Town Wall Mosque
3 photos & drawings
Completed
16th Centurey
Built area
50 m2
Capacity
25worshippers
Country
Tanzania

Overview

About the mosque

The first mosque was a two-roomed prayer hall that was long and thin (14.25 x 3.30m). The mosque was destroyed by a significant fire, leaving burn traces on the floor and in the entrances.

The two rooms are separated by an internal wall, with the southern room measuring 9.75 x 3.3m and the northern room measuring 2.9 x 3.3m with its mihrab. There is no sign of a doorway separating the two spaces. A sandstone stair and a sandy ramp that led to the seashore were used to access the northern room from the west.

The mihrab has a relatively straightforward elevation with a little arch and no capital. At the level of the springing, the base was rectangular rather than semi-circular.

Three doorways could be found in the southern room (10.3 x 3.25 m), two of which were located on the west wall and one in the middle of the south wall.

Background

History

The Town Wall Mosque is a modest, nearby prayer room with an upright mihrab that appears to date to the 18th century. Its northwest corner was where the town wall was attached. The building was abandoned and its stone was used to construct the town wall, most likely in the early 16th century.

Where

Location

Battersea Park Millenium Arena, London SW11 4NJ, UKOpen in Google Maps

References

  1. 01The Mosques of Songo Mnara in their Urban Landscaperesearchgate.net
  2. 02en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songo_Mnaraen.wikipedia.org
  3. 03zamaniproject.org/site-tanzania-songo-mnara.htmlzamaniproject.org

Want to add some changes to this page?