Kingdoms and Monuments of Afre-Kh: Mosque of Djenné

Great Mosque of Djenné (Mali)

The Great Mosque of Djenné is a large mud brick or adobe building that is considered by many architects to be one of the greatest achievements of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style.

The mosque is located in the city of Djenné, Mali, on the flood plain of the Bani River. The first mosque on the site was built around the 13th century, but the current structure dates from 1907. The actual date of construction of the first mosque in Djenné is unknown, but dates between  1200 and the late 1330s. The earliest document mentioning the mosque is al-Saadi’s Tarikh al-Sudan which gives the early history, presumably from the oral tradition as it existed in the mid-seventeenth century. The tarikh states that Sultan Kunburu became a Muslim and had his palace pulled down and the site turned into a mosque. He built another palace for himself near the mosque on the east side. His immediate successor built the towers of the mosque while the following Sultan built the surrounding wall. The Mosque is built of earth and has two massive towers. As well as being the centre of the community of Djenné, it is one of the most famous landmarks in Africa. Along with the “Old Towns of Djenné,” it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

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