The Hassan II Mosque is the third largest mosque in the world and a sight to behold
The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is impressive to say the least. It is the third largest mosque in the world and something all people, regardless of religious background, can marvel at for its stunning architecture.
Located on the water, the mosque towers over the Atlantic ocean serving as a reminder of the significant differences across the pond. If one were to travel westward from the Hassan II Mosque to America, there would be talk of burning the Qur’an yet as an American standing at an Islamic shrine, such speech seems non-sensical.
There is a beauty in Islam one cannot deny, even if that person comes a different religion. One does not have to be a Christian to marvel at the work of Renaissance artists despite the fact most of the work deals with biblical themes.
The only downside to the Hassan II Mosque is the fact it is relatively new and seems like it is more for show than anything else. Rarely do residents of Casablanca go there for prayer and it was built more as a shrine than a mosque.
The area around the Hassan II Mosque leaves something to be desired.
The mosque was built in the 1980s and the area around it is still being developed. It is fairly erie seeing this massive holy site in a fairly inauspicious neighborhood. It would be the equivalent of the Sistine Chapel being built in some sleepy suburb of north Rome.
There is construction going on all around the mosque to vitalize the surrounding area but as of right now it is most people are bussed in to take a tour of the mosque and then whisked away to a more friendly area of Casablanca. The Hassan II Mosque is a brilliant place to visit but upon retrospect lacks the character of other Moroccan historical sights.
