The Kairouan and Djenne Mosques

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the unique mosques in Kairouan and Djenne, Africa. It begins by discussing the characteristics of the mosque, in general. It then outlines the characteristics of what makes these mosques important to Africa's domestic architecture and compares their designs. Finally, the paper also looks at the African culture that is evident behind their designs.

From the Paper:

"Construction of the current mosque started in 1906 and finished in 1907. The mosque's mud-brick construction leaves it vulnerable to weather and is annually being repaired by senior masons of Djenne. The walls of the mosque range from sixteen inches to twenty-four inches thick. The walls insulate during the day and at night store enough heat to keep the mosque warm. The roof is lined with ceramic pipes to direct the water away from the walls. There are three main towers of the Djenne mosque - each tower is capped with an ostrich egg to symbolize fertility. The materials used for building the Djenne mosque signify the elements found throughout all Islamic architecture. They portray the aesthetics of local materials used by the Djenne peoples for centuries. The qibla of the mosque is dominated by three large box-like minarets. Each box juts out from the main wall and has eighteen buttresses. Each minaret contains a spiral staircase leading to the roof where one can replace the ostrich eggs when needed."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bloom, Jonathan and Sheila Blair. Islamic Arts. London: Phaidon Press Ltd., 1997.
• Ettighausen, Richard and Oleg Grabar. The Art and Archeticture of Islam 650-1250.
• Gray , Maritn. " Djenne, Mali." Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Traditions of the World. 19 Nov 2006 <http://www.sacredsites.com/africa/mali/djenne.html>.
• Gray , Martin. "Kairouan, Tunisia." Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Traditions of the World. 19 Nov 2006 <http://www.sacredsites.com/index.html#>.
• Islamic Architecture." Minaret Types. 25, November 2005. Islamic Architecture. 21 Nov 2006 <http://www.islamicarchitecture.org/architecture/minaret-types.html>.

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