Local mosque · 1631

Great Mosque of Testour

  • Testour, Tunisia
Great Mosque of Testour
11 photos & drawings
Completed
1631
Built area
1600 m2
Capacity
500worshippers
Country
Tunisia
City
Testour

Overview

About the mosque

The mosque is located in the heart of the city of Testour . It is a rare synthesis of local Ifriqiyan traditions and Hispano-Moresque decorative and architectural techniques. The sober east of the structure shows the impact of Mudejar Art.

The courtyard :The roofs are covered in hollow tiles of reddish color. 4 galleries covered with tiles frame the courtyard. Three doors open under the South-East gallery give access to the prayer room. In this same gallery is a mihrab used by the faithful praying in the courtyard.

The minaret: Its minaret rises on the North-East facade and is made up of a 4.52m square tower crowned with octagonal towers decorated with chaining of bricks and rubble stones which recalls the church of del Cristo de la Luz and the Puerta del Sol in Toledo. It is enveloped in adornment decorated with a skylight illuminating the staircase, pinnacles, a cornice of twin bay windows, marble and earthenware panels, sawtooth merlons, a crowned pyramid an ear of corn with three strung balls and a croissant. On the south face of the minaret is a clock that runs backwards.

The prayer room : The prayer hall is also covered with a tiled roof. A cupola covers the space in front of the Mihrab. It is a hemispherical dome surmounted by a lantern, itself covered with a half-sphere.

The prayer hall measures 25m by 18.5m and has 9 naves and 7 bays. Ancient capitals were used to build the prayer hall. There are two cupolas: one preceding the mihrab and another located in the middle nave on the fourth bay starting from the courtyard.

Background

History

The great mosque of Testour was built during the first third of the 17th century precisely in 1631. And that by Mohamed Tagharinou who was an immigrant of Andalusian origin who settled in Testour in 1609. This mosque was extended in the 18th century by the addition of a secondary courtyard and a room for ablutions.

Where

Location

HC3W+GPX, Testour, TunisiaOpen in Google Maps

References

  1. 01zaherkammoun.com/2017/03/21/la-grande-mosquee-de-testourzaherkammoun.com
  2. 02https://islamicart.museumwnf.orgislamicart.museumwnf.org

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