SHAFAQNA- There are beautiful and old mosques in West Africa [1]. These Mosques are made with special materials from the region, therefore their appearance is completely different from the mosques we see in the Middle East.
Mosques are buildings that have almost the same architecture wherever you go in the world. The conventional mosques all have two tall minarets, a dome and are decorated with mirror decorations that are almost identical. Now some of them may have slightly different decorations, but the Mosques in West Africa that we want to introduce to you do not resemble the average Mosque at all.
In fact, in Africa, people have tried to build their Mosques with their pre-existing and local know-how and skills. They also used the materials they already disposed of. Nowhere else in the world can you see such different buildings as in Africa. The architecture of African Mosques is really unique and different from other places.
The main reason for the difference in the architecture of African Mosques is that they have tried to build them with indigenous architecture and the skills they have, as well as the materials at their disposal due to the lack of resources. These buildings are beautiful while being simple. As a matter of fact, in addition to being a place of worship, they serve also as a place where people gather.
One of the most unique examples of Mosque architecture can be seen in the grasslands of West Africa. These mosques cover a large area of North Africa, from Senegal [2]to Sudan. [3] This area’s Mosques are known for their unique architecture. The architecture of African mosques in this region is in a way that materials such as clay, brick bricks are used in the construction of the Mosque structures and buildings. In the exterior of these Mosques, long pieces of wood and narrow tree stumps are used. These woods both make the Mosques special and beautiful in appearance . They also have a kind of scaffolding role.
The wood used in these buildings is posed vertically through the walls, and that is why when you look at these Mosques, you see a castle-like shape. These thin wooden planks, called “Torons”, are used as scaffolding in the building. People can climb up them to repair if repairing or mending was needed in an area of the Mosque wall. In addition, these logs have a decorative role in these structures.
The architecture of African mosques [4]is such that they usually have a turret-like structure, a flat roof and a small backyard. These mosques use natural lighting. In order to be able to use the natural sunlight, there are holes in their structure that provide the light needed by the Mosque. Unlike the architecture of the exterior of these Mosques, in which wood and logs are used, when you go inside the Mosque, you do not see any traces of this wood or strange decorations. The interior is simple so that the worshipers are not bothered.
Source: Shia News
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What does it mean to be a Shia Muslim in Africa? [7]
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