The Great Mosque of Paris is located in the Latin Quarter near the Botanical Garden. It covers an area of ​​one hectare and is one of the largest mosques in France.

France is closely linked to Muslim North Africa to the XIX century. In 1848, an integral part of the country was declared Algeria in 1881, Tunisia became a French protectorate in 1912 - Morocco. In the second half of the XX century these countries regained their independence, but the share of the Muslim population in France remains impressive. The idea of ​​creating in the capital of Islamic spiritual center dates back to the middle of the XIX century. It has become a reality after the First World War, when the country felt the need to build a mosque to pay tribute to one hundred thousand Muslim soldiers who died in the Battle of France.

Construction of a fully funded by the state and took three years. July 15, 1926, French President Gaston Doumergue and the Sultan of Morocco Moulay Yusuf officially opened the Grand Mosque of Paris. Algerian Sufi Ahmad al-Alawi made here the first prayer.

The mosque building is designed in the Spanish-Moorish synthetic Mudejar style, was extended in XII-XVI centuries in Spain. It weaved elements of Moorish aesthetics, Gothic, Renaissance. In this style of working both Muslim and Christian architects.

The building designed by the architect Matuf, Fournet, Ebes. We worked on the construction of the master of the North African countries, as was brought out of the building materials. The minaret of the mosque has a height of 33 meters. Its courtyard is decorated with beautiful pond and gardens reminiscent of the Alhambra.

During the occupation of Paris in the mosque regularly gathered Muslims - members of the Resistance. There were hiding from the Gestapo Jewish families. Today, the mosque is a mufti Dalil Bubakёr, one of the most influential and respected figures of French Islam.

The mosque has a prayer hall (Musalla), Turkish bath (hammam), schools (madrassas), a library, a restaurant, tea room, souvenir shops. The tea is served traditional tea with mint and oriental sweets. Great Mosque itself, except for the sacred space, is open to tourists.