Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In
Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca
Search:

Home » Travel Guides » Africa » Morocco » Wilaya de Casablanca » Casablanca » Things To Do » Hassan II Mosque Reviews

Casablanca Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca

Hassan II Mosque tips and photos posted by real travelers and Casablanca locals.
• 122 Photos
• 71 Reviews

See all Casablanca Things To Do
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Hassan II Mosque: Towards the entrance
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 4, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    The soil, as is the building itself, is made of reinforced concrete covered with marble.
    Once you arrive close to the building, you discover that he Mosque,built mainly over the Ocean, is surrounded by the Ocean on three sides. This gives the strange impression as, with the wide esplanade in front, it is separated from the city, to be a "nowhere" place.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Casablanca?

    Read reviews about Casablanca Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Hassan II Mosque: General view
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 3, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    Coming from the city center of Casablanca, at first, from a certain distance, though huge -but that does not appear immediately- Mosque Hassan II looks like any other important religious building. It has a green topped "minaret" high above the rest of the mostly white Mosque and sits on a large paved esplanade with parts of superb green lawn..

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Hassan II Mosque: Police
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 5, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    In Morocco, police have always been very present. In the past few years it is often less visible but anyway, it discreetly checks that nothing wrong occurs. In front of the mosque, only a few policemen walk across the esplanade, mainly to give information to visitors. However, more substantial police is half hidden in the surrounding.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Hassan II Mosque: The main entrance
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 4, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    The figure of a person gives an idea of the size of this whole mosque.

    What cannot be seen here is that the inside is light by 50 chandeliers made in Murano crystal, each 6 meters in diameter, 15 meters high and weighting 1,200 kg. The roof, all in aluminum tiles, stands at 60 meters from the soil, weighs 1,100 tons and can open completely in 5 minutes (some documents say 3 minutes!).

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Hassan II Mosque: Arches
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 4, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    The inside can be visited (50 Dh) and can welcome 25,000 persons (20,000 men and separately, 5,000 women, in mezzanines) and the esplanade 150,000 more on it's 20,000 m2. Notre Dame de Paris could be dropped inside the main praying room, 200 x 100 meters!

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Casablanca?

    Read reviews about Casablanca Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Hassan II Mosque: From the south
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 3, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    If you park south to the mosque and walk towards the mosque, it looks as it had been build on the sea ! And actually, this for real. The main part of the Hassan II Mosque was built on pilings, on the ocean, in order to give the impression that by some divine intervention, it was floating on water.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Hassan II Mosque: Earthquake proof !
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 4, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    All of Northern Africa is submitted to main earthquakes. The African plaque is pushing against the Eurasian plaque. In the recent past, many deadly earthquakes have hit Northern Morocco and Algeria. In 1755, most coastal cities of Morocco were heavily hit. In 1960, Agadir was entirely destroyed (12,000 dead). In 1969, another earthquakes hit the coast with 200 casualties. On February 24th 2004, Al Hoceima, in the North was also severely hit and the death toll was more than 150.
    There is no surprise that the whole mosque has been build earthquake proof!

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Hassan II Mosque: The minaret
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 4, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    King Hassan II, "Commander of the believers", is descending from Mohammed, and wanted to leave to the posterity a monument worthy his reign. It had to be finished for his 60th birthday and the time allotted was pretty tight. When completed, the minaret is the highest in the world (200 m) and can be seen from several dozen of kilometers away.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Hassan II Mosque: The other doorway
  • Tip Rating:
  • JLBG
  • Updated By JLBG on November 4, 2004
  • Casablanca Page by JLBG
  • Hassan II Mosque - Casablanca
    by JLBG
    The other main doorway is equally decorated, though a different in the details. Every carving was handmade and more than ten thousands of the best Moroccan craftsmen worked night and day for several years to achieve the whole decoration. It has cost a lot of money, between 450 millions and 2 billions of €uros. For several years, everybody in Morocco had to give from its own will. State servants were strongly "invited" to give one month of salary. Peasant to give their part when entering the souk with their goods, shopkeepers following their income, etc…

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Hassan II Mosque: The Hasan II Mosque - exterior
  • Tip Rating:
  • matcrazy1
  • By matcrazy1 on August 4, 2005
  • Casablanca Page by matcrazy1
  • THE HASSAN II MOSQUE, CASABLANCA - Casablanca
    THE HASSAN II MOSQUE,
    CASABLANCA
    by matcrazy1
    The Hassan II Mosque is absolutely a must whenever you go to Casablanca. I've found the mosque, a wonderful architectural masterpiece and symbol of a version of Islam that is open to the world and to science as the mosque was partially built on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Construction began at the beginning of the 1980s exactly as ordered by the king Hassan II. The entire site covers a surface area of 9 hectares (22.24 acres) and includes a library, koranic school, Turkish bath and large conference rooms.

    The king of Morocco at the time, Hassan II, first mentioned this mosque in 1980, when he announced that he would build it on the water, because the throne of God is on the water.
    The mosque was inaugurated on August 30, 1993. It was designed by the French architect, Michel Pinseau. 2,500 men worked on two shifts in order to complete the mosque of Hassan II. The marble came from Agadir, the granite from Tafraoute, while the glass was imported from Venice, Italy.
    The mosque was funded by donations, and the total cost was an estimated US$800,000,000!!!

    Leave a Comment

  • Directions: At the Atlantic coast, approx. 2 km northwest of center.
  • Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    More Casablanca Tips
    Overview
     
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 66 - Photos: 74
    Things To Do
    Tips: 170 - Photos: 286
    Nightlife
    Tips: 19 - Photos: 9
    Transportation
    Tips: 34 - Photos: 36
    Restaurants
    Tips: 34 - Photos: 46
    Shopping
    Tips: 14 - Photos: 23
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 29 - Photos: 33
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 12 - Photos: 10
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 26 - Photos: 18
    Local Customs
    Tips: 16 - Photos: 15
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 4 - Photos: 2
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 1 - Photos: 0
    General Tips
    Tips: 69 - Photos: 76
    Flights
    Tips: 10 - Photos: 0

    Best Casablanca Travel Deals

    Casablanca Motel Deals
    Fees Cut on Every Hotel! Dare To Compare Total Price, Save on ORBITZ

    Luxury Morocco Tours
    Exquisite hotels and luxury tours Discover Morocco with Cox&Kings

    25 Hotels in Casablanca
    Book a hotel in Casablanca online. All hotels with special offers.

    Morocco Camping Tours
    Camping Tours, Explore Morocco and west Africa have to offer.

    Morocco Tours
    National Geographic Award Winner Custom Itineraries & Private Guides

    Sponsored Links

    More Casablanca Travel Deals

    Mazagan Beach Resort
    5* hotel in El Jadida, Morocco. Luxury suites w/ spa, near beach!

    American Express Package
    Receive Complimentary Nights With The Ritz-Carlton Hotels & Resorts.

    Hotels in Casablanca
    Get the Best Rates in Casablanca Photos & Reviews, Pay at checkout

    Sponsored Links


    Casablanca Hotels





    About VirtualTourist |  10 Great Things to Do On VirtualTourist |  Contact Us |  Press Center |  Help |  User Agreement |  Privacy Statement
    Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2009 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.