Ceuta’s Historic Muley El Mehdi Mosque Marks 80 Years Since Inauguration

The Great Mosque of Ceuta celebrated its anniversary this Saturday. 80 years ago, on July 18, 1940 to be exact, the official inauguration of the Muley El Mehdi Mosque, then called the Great Mosque of Ceuta, took place, the first stone of which had been laid two years earlier.

The construction of the mosque, opened for worship on July 26, had cost nearly 243,866.42 pesetas and had allowed the realization of a 33.64 meter high minaret, a 303.65 square meter sanctuary and a hall with a capacity of 900 worshippers.

"Several months before the start of the work, funds had been raised and the contribution of the mayors of different cities had been solicited to give historical importance to the project to build this mosque which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this Saturday," says Mohamed Kaddur, son of the president of the Muslim community who initiated the project.

The basic construction system was carried out in masonry walls and brick arches on cyclopean concrete foundations and covered with galvanized sheet metal, with one or two waters, on wooden belts and rafters, with a reed ceiling.

Its spatial organization was adapted "to the primitive architectural model" with a single access located in the center of its main facade. To the left of the hall are the ablution and toilet areas, and to the right, the muezzin’s room, connected to the minaret.