Sunday 21 October 2012

An Nasr mosque

According to the plaque, historical documents confirm that there was originally a church on this site. It was converted into a mosque in 583AH/1187AD, after Salah-a-Din and demolished by the earthquake in 1927.

The present building is the result of substantial reconstruction during the last century.

Alternatively, the inscribed stone at the entrance to the mosque says it was built by Leader Amr Ibn Al As in 15 Hijri/638AD. When the crusaders occupied Palestine in 1099AD they converted it into a mosque. When the occupation was ended by Salah Al Din Al Ayoubi in 583Hijri/1185AD the building was reconstructed to become a mosque.

The mosque was given the name Al Naser (victory) in memory of the great victory of Salah Al Din over the Crusaders.

After the 1927 earthquake nothing was left except the base of the mosque's old minaret and some part of its western wall.

The mosque was rebuilt by the Supreme Islamic Council in 1354Hijri/1935AD.

The current design reflects that of mosques in Istanbul where the ground floor is used for commerce with the mosque itself on the upper floor,

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