Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque : History, Architecture Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque

Mosque in Oran City, Oran Province, Algeria

Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque مسجد عبدالله بن سلام
2011
Religion
Affiliation	Islam (previously Judaism)
Year consecrated	1918 (as a synagogue) 1975 (as a mosque)
Location
Location	Blvd. Maata Mohamed El Habib, Oran, Algeria
35°42′00″N 0°39′01″W / 35.70000°N 0.65028°W / 35.70000; -0.65028
Architecture
Type	mosque
Style	Moorish
Completed	1880

The Abdellah Ben Salem Mosque (Arabic: مسجد عبد الله بن سلام) is a mosque in Oran, Algeria. Formerly the Great Synagogue of Oran (French: Grande synagogue d'Oran), it was the largest synagogue in Africa.^[1] Also known as Temple Israélite, it was located on Boulevard Joffre, currently Boulevard Maata Mohamed El Habib.

History

Its construction began in 1879 at the initiative of Simon Kanoui, and took 38 years to complete.^[2] Once Algeria gained its independence in 1962, almost all Algerian Jews, who were considered French citizens since the Crémieux Decree of 1870, were expelled to France alongside the Pied-Noir settlers. In 1975, the synagogue was converted into a mosque^[1] and named after Abdullah ibn Salam, a seventh-century Jew from Medina and companion of Muhammad who converted to Islam.

Architecture

Its style shows Neo-Mudéjar and Moorish Revival influences.

References

^ ^a ^b Mohamed Merit Heddi (2016). Les maires d'Oran de 1831 à 2016. Editions Publibook. p. 105. ISBN 978-2-342-05530-6. Archived from the original on 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
^ Mohamed Merit Heddi (2016). Les maires d'Oran de 1831 à 2016. Editions Publibook. p. 53. ISBN 978-2-342-05530-6. Archived from the original on 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2018-10-14.