Jamia Mosque also known as Grand mosque of Harar is a mosque in Harar a city in eastern Ethiopia. It is located in the old walled city, the Harar Jugol, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History[edit]
Local tradition suggests that the Jamia Mosque is one of the oldest mosque remaining in Harar, while others give it a foundation date of 1216 C.E.[1] Three Harar mosques have been dated to the Tenth Century C.E.,[2] but the Jamia Mosque has not been dated. Archaeological excavation within the mosque perimeter has not been permitted.[3]
The Jamia Mosque was extensively remodeled with the addition of a second minaret in the 16th century probably during the reign (1528–1543) of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, whose gravestone is in the prayer hall. An inscription on the wooden minbar indicates that this was constructed in 1175/1761, i.e. during the reign of Amir Ahmed.[1] Under Amir Abdullahi (1885-1887) the mosque was enlarged. During the Italian occupation (1936-1941) a water pool was added to the courtyard on the east side of the mosque.[4] The mosque was most recently remodeled in the 1980s, with the addition of a second story.[4]