Djamaa el Djazaïr (جامع الجزائر), also known as the Great Mosque of Algiers, stands as a prominent religious edifice in Algiers, Algeria. This remarkable mosque boasts the world’s tallest minaret and ranks as the third-largest mosque globally, following the Great Mosque of Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Saudi Arabia.
The mosque’s construction commenced in August 2012, after the Algerian government awarded a 1 billion euro contract to the China State Construction Engineering Corporation. Approximately 2,300 laborers from China, Algeria, and other African nations collaborated on this monumental undertaking.
Spanning an expansive 27.75-hectare site overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the mosque’s prayer hall accommodates up to 37,000 worshippers, while the entire complex, including its grounds, can host an impressive 120,000 worshippers and provides parking for 7,000 cars. In addition to its primary function as a place of worship, the complex encompasses a Quran school, a park, a library, staff residences, a fire station, a museum of Islamic art, and a research center dedicated to the history of Algeria.
The mosque’s defining feature is its soaring 265-meter (869-foot) minaret, securing its position as the tallest structure in Africa. Atop this minaret, a 37-story observation deck offers breathtaking vistas. Furthermore, the mosque’s engineering incorporates earthquake-resistant design, capable of withstanding tremors up to magnitude 9.0, and anti-corrosion treatments for its longevity. Inside the main prayer hall, 618 octagonal columns serve as sturdy support pillars, adorned with 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) of laser-engraved calligraphy. The dome crowning the prayer hall boasts a diameter of 50 meters (160 feet) and rises to a height of 70 meters (230 feet).