[Curiosities] Ministers of Culture, Islamic Affairs Visit Tinmel Mosque Restoration Site

[The GodFather]

 

 

Rabat - Morocco’s Minister of Youth and Culture Mohammed Bensaid, along with the Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Toufiq, paid a visit on Sunday to the Tinmel mosque as it undergoes restoration work.

The mosque is considered an important site for the Almohad Caliphate, which controlled North Africa and the Andalus region throughout the 12th and 13th centuries.

The two ministers evaluated the renovation work done so far on the mosque, which is being supported by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ Mosque Directorate for a period of 18 months.

The work on the mosque aims to raise awareness of the Almohad Caliphate and the historic role it has played in the region, according to Bensaid, who also emphasized the importance of the renovation in helping archaeological teams conduct studies.

Authorities also intend to open a museum near the mosque to detail its history and that of the region, in hopes of attracting more tourists and improving the region of Marrakech-Asfi.

“This mosque deserves to be restored,” Toufik told press at the site, adding that some work had gone into restoring it back in the 90s. “We are continuing this restoration to preserve the mosque in line with the widely agreed upon field rules, and with scientific and technical assistance from the Ministry of Culture.”

The Almohad Caliphate lasted from 1121 to 1269, and had Tinmel, where it was established, as its first capital from 1121 until 1147.

Following the seizure of Marrakech in 1147, the town became the Almohad cultural and artistic center.

Its mosque was built in 1156 to commemorate the Caliphate’s founder, Mohamed Ibn Tumart, and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995.

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https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/01/353763/ministers-of-culture-islamic-affairs-visit-tinmel-mosque-restoration-site