The Magnificent Hassan II Mosque

April 20—Just as the Empire State Building is emblematic of the United States' focus on the importance of a robust American economy, the Hassan II Mosque and its majestic minaret symbolize something that I am still wrapping my head around here in Casablanca and Morocco.  It’s about what people and their leaders value, and there is a lot to unpack here. Is it the sign of a desire to value learning and craftsmanship, since our tour guide emphasized that everything (and I mean everything) is made by hand here? The answer is yes.  Is it a sign of the advancement of a society and country that is sometimes perceived as more third than first world?  Yes again.  Is it about the importance or religion and Islam? Most definitely yes.  And I could go on and on.  

As we think about and look at the images that appear front and center on the Wikipedia pages for cities around the world, it is clear that the monuments of our cities represent more than just architectural markers - they are truly a entry points as we look at and learn about the now of a city.  And then they continue to help us learn, as they make us want to open a door to the past and walk through that door.  One significant, architectural structure can tell an incredible story and invite us to take a step backwards, into the past,  to understand how it came to be.  And what we learned - the story of a single structure, can help us understand the larger story of a city and a people - and what they believe in and value.  On our last day in Casablanca, the Hassan II Mosque became our storyteller - of course with the assistance of our smart and funny tour guide.

​Our tour of the Hassan II Mosque took us from the this-is-what-you-see-now to the how-did-we-get-here-and-why:  Our brilliant tour guide (Note to self:  Find out her name and add it here!) helped us understand this monumental space and how it can help us understand Casablanca and Moroccan history.  Here are some great facts she shared with us:

It is a place of learning.  Everything is hand-made.  It is the 4th largest mosque in Africa, and the 14th largest mosque in the world.  It was a huge project for craftsmanship.  The King wanted everything perfect.  (And it is!)

In terms of capacity: 25,000 people can fit.  The women are in the gallery, while the men are on the floor; the women are closer to God.  During Ramadan, including the outside spaces, there is a capacity for hundreds of thousands.  She told us to imagine all of the shoes, since everyone takes their shoes off!  With a touch of humor, she told us, "You could come in one shoe and come out with another."

The chandeliers are brass, with weights of 600 kg and 1200 kg (!)  How do they change the bulbs, she posed the question to us? With a mechanical system.   She quipped that they tried to train the pigeons but it didn’t work.  She reminded us again that all materials are Moroccan with one single exception:  The glass is from from Venice -  the famous Murano glass.

Another notable detail she mentioned was the story of the doors and the ceiling.  First, the doors:  She told us that copper is not a wise choice by the ocean, so the doors are titanium and work due to a hydraulic system.   As we marveled at the door system, she continued on in her now-signature deadpan style, "maybe the doors will be the ruins of the mosque."  

Next, the ceiling:  It actually opens!  She told us, "it's like a convertible mosque.  Like a car.  Imagine it open during winter on a sunny day.  Or when the King is here, praying with 25,000 people during Ramadan."  She continued, as we delighted in listening to her end-the-fact-dump-with-humor, "it is a house of God, all are welcome, but some are more welcome than others.  The pigeons are a problem."  We didn't see one in the mosque that day, but we could imagine them now, ineptly changing light bulbs and joining in the prayer.

​In any case, we walked away with what I've documented above and so much more.  I may come back and add the rest of my notes later!  She wrapped up with many words of wisdom, but one I recall - that the mosque has been built with such craftsmanship and as part of a collective effort that the hope it that it will "last forever, inshallah."

As I wrap up this post, I'm going to take a moment to share a humbling (and embarrasing) moment from this visit.  I was so taken with the mosque - the grandiosity of it all, the ceiling, the vastness, the architectural detail - that I literally nearly fell into one of the 45 marble fountains in the ablution hall.  Thanks to one of my colleagues for catching me, and luckily there was no water in it.  But I think it speaks both to my own 21st century American inability to just take in the moment but also to the unbelievable nature of the place - I couldn't keep my eyes on the ground.  And I wanted to capture it all, so I could share and relive the visit over and over again.  ​

One final photo to capture the epic nature of the mosque and our group.  A keen-eyed colleague snapped and shared this photo (below) at the end of our visit, as we walked away, full to the brim with the brilliance and majesty of this space.  She shared it with the group, and entitled it "Your album cover!"   It would have to be a pretty spectacular album to match up with this imagery, that's for sure.​

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