Great Mosque of Sfax

The Great Mosque of Sfax is a 9th-century mosque built during the Aghlabid rule of Ifriqiya[1]. The mosque is located in the in the very center of the ancient city of Sfax, and this is attributed to the fact that it was the first mosque to be established in this city. The original mosque construction dates back to year 850 AD where it was constructed by Tahar al-Manif and Haj Saïd al-Qatti who served as the amine of the masons[2]. Its embellishment took place during the Zirid era[3]. The great mosque of Sfax has undergone many transformations with the change of situation and rulers in the city of Sfax[4]. The mosque was reworked on during the 10th, 11th, and 18th centuries[5].

Description of the Plan (Interior and Exterior)

The mosque is loosely rectangular ’in shape’ and stands right at the heart of the Medina.  Its walls are surrounded by the suqs[6]. Arches with triple curves encircle the spandrels of the alternating windows and doors. A small courtyard exists to the northern door of the mosque. This courtyard is surrounded on the four sides cruciform pillars which support the pointed horseshoe arches.

Figure 1: Courtyard

Outside the mosque, pieces of ancient columns which were not utilized for the decoration of the interior are visible. However, on the eastern side, some of the small portals are decorated with ancient marble slabs with one retaining, in part, a Greek inscription, and its original relief. The façade is broken up by horseshoe-arched niches that are slightly pointed and semicircular recessed linked dentil moldings.

Figure 2: Ancient Columns 

Built with stone and clay, the mosque has two domes and a 12-meter tall minaret which displays the geometric patterns of Islam[7]. One of the domes rises over the main door while the other faces to the south.

Figure 3: Domes

In the 12th-century prayer hall, off-center above the mihrab and in the extension of the nave stands a dome that is similar to the one in the courtyard. From the northwest corner of the mosque rises the minaret constructed, on a square base, with cut stone. The minaret is made up of two superposed towers, 25 meters in height, which are topped by a lantern[8]. The minarets are decorated with Islamic inscriptions and geometric patterns, circular bosses, as well as arched openings and friezes[9].

Figure 4: Minaret

Supported by horseshoe arches, the square floor-plan prayer hall has nine naves besides being covered by groin vaulting. Both vertical and horizontal stripes characterize the arches, and they rest on columns that have ancient capitals. With its narrow with, the prayer hall appears as a narrow sanctuary, and it is made up of six aisles parallel to the wall and five aisles that are perpendicular to the qibla wall. The extremities of the central aisle are surmounted by two cupolas.

Figure 5: Prayer Hall

Although it was originally roofed in timber, the sanctuary is currently covered with vaults which rise from the elongated imposts that are on the reused Antique columns’ capitals. 

Bibliography

Hillenbrand, Robert. Islamic architecture: Form, function, and meaning. Columbia University Press, 1994.

Kuban, Doğan. Muslim Religious Architecture: Development of religious architecture in later periods. Vol. 3. Brill, 1974.

Museum with No Frontiers. “Discover Islamic Art.” Last modified 2018. http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;18;en.

[1] Kuban, Doğan. Muslim Religious Architecture: Development of religious architecture in later periods. Vol. 3. Brill, 1974.

[2] Museum with No Frontiers. ”Discover Islamic Art.” Last modified 2018. http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;18;en.

[3] Hillenbrand, Robert. Islamic architecture: Form, function, and meaning. Columbia University Press, 1994.

[4] Ibid, 96.

[5] Kuban, Doğan. Muslim Religious Architecture: Development of religious architecture in later periods. Vol. 3. Brill, 1974.

[6] Museum with No Frontiers. ”Discover Islamic Art.” Last modified 2018. http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;18;en.

[7] Kuban, Doğan. Muslim Religious Architecture: Development of religious architecture in later periods. Vol. 3. Brill, 1974.

[8] Hillenbrand, Robert. Islamic architecture: Form, function, and meaning. Columbia University Press, 1994.

[9] Museum with No Frontiers. ”Discover Islamic Art.” Last modified 2018. http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;18;en.