Moroccan Odyssey Day 24

Morocco Day 24: Casablanca- Hassan II Mosque and Jewish Museum 

Our final day in Morocco.

We began with a visit to the famous Hassan II Mosque.The mosque's construction began in 1986 and was completed in 1993 with 10,000 artisans and 3,000 laborers working 24/7.  Its architecture combines Andalusian-Moorish and modern styles with  intricate zellij tilework, carved stucco, and cedar ceilings mixing with  retractable roofs, heated floors, and advanced sound systems.  The mosque is one of the largest in the world and can accomodate 25,000 inside and another 80,000 in the courtyard, kind of like a Saturday afternoon at Michigan Stadium.

TTwo-thirds of the complex is built  over the ocean, to evoke the Quaranic verse “the throne of God was upon the water,” In addition to the mosque,  the complex includes a library, museum, and Quranic school,.

The minaret is 689 feet high making it the tallest minaret in the world (it is not really leaning like the tower in Pisa, just a photography issue)

Zellij tilework

This is one of the only large mosques in the world that allow non-muslims inside.  We did have to remove our shoes.

The inside of the mosque was enormous.  It was 100 meters wide by 200 meters long (that's 1x2 football fields) by 65 meters high which when added together gives 365 (days of the year).

Nearly everything, the marble, cedarwood, tile, plaster, and mosaics, was sourced and handcrafted in Morocco. The result is a showcase of traditional artistry 

Stucco

Lines on the carpet show worshippers where to line up

King's Door- Only used by the king

Retractable carved cedar roof

Hidden escalators

Younes gave us an in depth lesson in Islam including the correct technique for prayer. Prostration requires forhead, nose, palms, forearms, knees and toes to all touch the floor.  Moslems have to be pretty agile!

Below the main hall is the ablution room consisting of  a vast array of fountains for ritual cleaning before saying  prayers (5 times a day).  Washing includes the naughty bits, face, nose (inhaling water to clean out the nasal cavity), behind the ears, arms, hands, feet, and probably other parts I've forgotten.

The courtyard was so large, I think it took about 15 minutes to cross it to the exit.

From the mosque we went to the Jewish Museum, the only one in the Moslem world.

Our guide, Younes had never been here before since it was a request by us rather than part of the planned tour, and I think he foiund it enlightening. Parts of old, non functioning synagogues were brought here  and were on display. 

One interesting oddity was a parody of the Book of Esther, the "Hitler Megillah"

When we got back to the hotel it ws time to say goodbye to Younes.  He was off to Marrakesh to enlighten another group of Americans, and we were off to bed- 2 am wake-up for our flight home tomorrow.