Staircase of the Great Mosque in Djenne, Mali

Introduction

The Great Mosque of Djenne (also known as the Sankore Madrasah) is an ancient mosque that was built in 1907. The building is five stories tall and has four towers around its perimeter. The tower at the front of the mosque is known as Askia’s Tower because it was commissioned by King Askia Mohammad I. It reaches 109 feet tall, making it one of the tallest minarets in sub-Saharan Africa.

Staircase of the Great Mosque in Djenne, Mali

The staircase of the Great Mosque is made of mud-brick and reeds, with a width of about 1.5 meters (5 feet) and a depth of 0.8 meters (2 feet). The four towers that surround it are called minarets, which means “place where one climbs.” Each is topped by a bulbous dome with an opening for prayer callers to use when calling Muslims to prayer from atop their tower. The tallest minaret is known as Askia’s tower because it was built by King Askia Mohamed Toure in 1495 CE to serve as his tomb after death — though he never did actually die there! He was buried instead at Sankore Mosque in Timbuktu due to security concerns during his reign over vast lands under Mali’s control at that time; however, his remains were moved back here in 1992 so they could be interred inside what may well have been their original location after all: atop this very same building!

The Great Mosque of Djenne

The Great Mosque of Djenne is a World Heritage Site that is considered one of Africa’s greatest architectural achievements. It was built in 1907 and was commissioned by King Begho. The building was constructed using mud bricks and it took over 1000 workers to complete it, who then left their mark by writing their names on the walls inside the mosque (see picture). The Great Mosque is also known as Sankore Mosque because there used to be three other smaller mosques nearby called Sankore Madrasa’s which were all built at different times between 1240 – 1325 CE.

There are four towers that surround the mosque and are each made of mud-brick and reeds.

The four towers that surround the mosque are each made of mud-brick and reeds. Each tower is a different height, with the tallest one being about 25 meters (82 feet) high.

The building is 307 feet long and 357 feet wide making it one of the largest mosques in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Great Mosque in Djenne is the largest mosque in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s 307 feet long and 357 feet wide, making it one of the largest mosques in West Africa.

The building was originally constructed by King Mansa Musa in 1327 A.D., but later destroyed by fire during an attack on the city by Songhai warriors who were fighting against Mali’s emperor at that time. The current structure was rebuilt between 1432-1464 A.D., under another emperor named Muhammad Ture (also known as Askia).

The minaret is known as Askia’s tower and reaches 109 feet tall.

The minaret is known as Askia’s tower and reaches 109 feet tall. The emperor who commissioned the mosque, Askia Muhammed Toure, was responsible for its construction. The tower itself is made of mud-brick and reeds–it’s the tallest structure in the entire complex!

The Great Mosque in Djenne is an incredible feat of architecture

The Great Mosque in Djenne was built over a period of 20 years by the Sosso people, who were an empire that ruled much of West Africa from 1230 to 1600. It’s located in Djenne, Mali — considered one of Africa’s greatest architectural achievements — and commissioned by King Begho as a place for prayer and education as well as community events. The mosque has three stories: The first floor houses classrooms; the second floor contains living quarters; and on top there’s an open terrace with arches that look out into the surrounding countryside.

Conclusion

The Great Mosque in Djenne is an incredible feat of architecture. It was built more than 800 years ago and is still standing today as one of the most important buildings in Africa. It’s amazing that this building has survived so many years without any major damage done to it!