Al-Muallaq Mosque

The al-Muallak Mosque (Arabic: المسجد المعلق‎ Masjid Al-Muallaq, Hebrew: מסגד אל-מועלק‎ Misgad Al-Muallak) also known as the Mosque of Zahir al-Umar (Arabic: مسجد ظاهر العمر‎‎‎‎‎) is a mosque in Acre, Israel.

al-Muallak Mosque
View of the mosque from the market
Religion
AffiliationIslam
DistrictNorth
Location
Location Acre, Israel
Shown within Israel
Geographic coordinates32.920849°N 35.068963°E / 32.920849; 35.068963
Architecture
TypeMosque
StyleOttoman
Completed1758
Minaret(s)1

History

The mosque was built in 1758 by the Arab ruler of Acre, Zahir al-Umar. It was built in a courtyard on the site of a structure commissioned by the Crusaders and which later became the gate to the Genoaese quarter of the city. Up until 1746, the structure was used as a synagogue by Acre's Jewish residents,[1] called the Ramchal Synagogue.[2] The Jews still owned the building when Zahir chose to transform it into a mosque, but compensated them with a different building located in Acre's Jewish quarter.[1] Leftover features of the synagogue include the niche for the Holy Ark and inscriptions in Hebrew.[3]

Architecture

The mosque is positioned along the edge of Acre's Old City market, situated between Khan al-Umdan and Khan al-Ifranj, and is risen over the street.[1] From the outside, the main indicators of the mosque are its low-lying dome and the round base of its former minaret.[3] The mosque's entrance is located beneath the original minaret's base.[3] This minaret was demolished by the municipality of Acre in 1950, citing a public safety risk.[3] The body of the mosque is mainly constituted by a large, square-shaped prayer hall,[1][3] A triple-domed portico precedes the prayer hall's entrance.[3] Beside the prayer hall is a smaller room that is currently used as a library.[1] A stairway beneath a covered entryway leads into the courtyard.[3]

See also

References
  1. Sharon, 1997, p. 38.
  2. "Acre: Religious and prayer sites". Archived from the original on 2009-06-09.
  3. "Muallaq Mosque". ArchNet. Retrieved 2008-12-31.

Bibliography
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