Great Mosque of Nablus

Great Mosque of Nablus (Jama'a al-Kebir) is the oldest mosque in the Palestinian city of Nablus. The mosque is located at the intersection of the main streets of Nablus' Old City on its eastern edge. It has a long, narrow, rectangular floor plan and a silver dome.

History

The site of the Great Mosque was originally a basilica built during the reign of Philip the Arab in 244-249 CE. The Byzantines later constructed a church on the basilica's ruins, which was replaced by a large church built by the Crusaders in 1168. In 1187, the Muslim Ayyubids under Saladin transformed the building into the present-day Great Mosque after they recaptured Nablus. In 1641, the Great Mosque's minaret was rebuilt, but the mosque compound had remained virtually untouched throughout most of its existence until a severe earthquake struck Palestine, especially Nablus in 1927, destroying its dome and minaret. In 1935, it was repaired.

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