Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque

Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
කොලඹ කොටුව රතු පල්ලිය

Detail of facade of Jami Ul-Alfar
Basic information
Location Pettah, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Affiliation Islam
Country Sri Lanka
Website http://www.redmasjid.com/
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Architectural style Indo-Saracenic
Groundbreaking 1908
Completed 1909

Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque (known colloquially as the 'Samman Kottu Palli',[1] 'Rathu Palliya', 'Red Masjid' or the 'Red Mosque') is a historic mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is located on Second Cross Street in Pettah. The mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Colombo and a popular tourist site in the city.

History

Construction of the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque commenced in 1908 and the building was completed in 1909.[2][3] The mosque was commissioned by the local Borah Muslim community, based in Pettah, to fulfill their required five-times-daily prayer and Jummah on Fridays. The mosque's designer and builder was Habibu Labbe Saibu Labbe (an unqualified architect), and was based on details/images of Indo-Saracenic structures provided by South Indian traders, who commissioned him.[1] It is a hybrid style of architecture, that draws elements from native Indo-Islamic and Indian architecture, and combines it with the Gothic revival and Neo-classical styles. Originally it had the capacity for 1,500 worshippers although at the time only around 500 were attending prayers.

It is a distinctive red and white candy striped two-storey building, with a clock tower, and is reminiscent of the Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (constructed in 1910).[2] Before other landmarks were built, some claim that the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque was recognized as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching the port.

In 1975 the mosque, with the assistance of the Haji Omar Trust,[3] purchased a number of the adjoining properties and commenced building an expansion to the mosque to increase its capacity to 10,000.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Deen, M. Haris Z (9 October 2015). "Saibo Lebbe: The unlettered architect who designed and built Red Mosque". The Island. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 Cooray, Nilan (27 November 2011). "Quarterly Tours - No. 20" (PDF). National Trust of Sri Lanka. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  3. 1 2 Achmad, Laila (18 March 2015). "10 beautiful mosques you’ve probably never heard of". Aquila Style. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  4. ↑ "A Spiritual Journey". Time Out. Retrieved 16 June 2017.

Coordinates: 6°56′19″N 79°51′06″E / 6.9385°N 79.8518°E / 6.9385; 79.8518

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