The Great Mosque

The Great Mosque of Djenné, in present-day Mali, is one of Africa's wonders and one of the world's most remarkable religious buildings. It is also the finest achievement of Sudano-Sahelian architecture (Sudano-Sahelian refers to the Sudanian and Sahel grassland of West Africa). It is also the world's largest mud-built edifice. We get a sense of its grandeur from afar, as it dwarfs the city of Djenné. Consider how you'd get to the city's towering mosque from the city's low-rise adobe neighborhoods.

Djenné prospered as a significant center of business, learning, and Islam, which had been practiced since the beginning of the 13th century. It was founded between 800 and 1250 C.E. The Great Mosque quickly became one of the most important structures in town, largely as a political symbol for locals and colonial forces such as the French, who assumed control of Mali in 1892. The Great Mosque has become the spiritual and cultural heart of Mali, as well as the Djenné population, over the years. It also hosts the Crepissage de la Grande Mosquée, a one-of-a-kind annual festival (Plastering of the Great Mosque).

The Great Mosque people see now is the third restoration of the mosque, which was finished in 1907. The Great Mosque of Djenne is a must-see among Mali's historical sites.