If you are visiting Morocco, you will probably want to get a glimpse into the beautiful mosques across the country. After all, if they tile ordinary shops so intricately, can you even imagine a place of worship?
If you are not Muslim, the only opportunity to see inside a mosque in Morocco is the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca. The good news: this is the largest mosque on the continent, and it is pretty spectacular.
Situated on 22 acres overlooking the Atlantic, our jaws immediately dropped as we stepped out of the little red petit-taxi. The grounds are amazing, with covered archways surrounding grandiose courtyards. We arrived before the mosque opened, which enabled us to get amazing views of the mosque and its reflection in the beautiful courtyard leading up to the world's tallest minaret. You can spend a good 30 minutes feeling like a professional photographer before you even get close to the mosque.
The late King Hassan II wished "Casablanca to be endowed with a large, fine building of which it can be proud until the end of time." Though Casablanca may elicit images of romance and fancy cafes, we found that King Hassan II succeeded in his plan: this mosque was truly the highlight of the city. Even in darkness, this mosque offers a sparkle to the facade of Casablanca in the form of the vivid green laser that points toward Mecca from the top of the 689' minaret. It's a very sharp reminder of the Islamic influence throughout the country, and a beautiful way to help guide worshipers during their prayers.
Inside, the details are spectacular. All of the raw materials are from Morocco with the exception of the Venetian glass chandeliers. Surprisingly, it only took six years to build, but with the contribution of over 600 artisans. That carved, wooden roof you see? It's retractable. The sparkling marble and granite floors? Heated. The roped off section? A glass floor section overlooking God's water below. It's amazing to realizing the engineering that went into the plans back in 1987. Jerry Jones should be ashamed of his boring, way-overdue retractable roof at Cowboys Stadium!
They offer one-hour English guided tours for 120 Dirham (~$12) at 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, and 2:00 pm every day but Friday, when tours are only offered at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. We hopped out of bed to make the 9:00 am tour, and were extremely thankful as we watched the buses unload on our way out. The mosque, which can fit 25,000 worshipers inside and another 80,000 outside, was empty except for our tour of eight and another language tour of five. Remember that you cannot wear shoes inside mosques, so they will give you a plastic bag for you to carry your shoes with you.
Go early, bring your camera, wear socks, and dress conservatively. This is the highlight of a trip to Casablanca!
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