photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Tomasz Dziubinski - Photography | all galleries >> MOROCCO 2010 & 2011 >> MOROCCO - PEOPLE, LIFESTYLE & CULTURE > The Grand Mosque of El Jadida
previous | next
©2011 Tomasz Dziubinski

The Grand Mosque of El Jadida

El Jadida, Morocco

The Grand Mosque of El Jadida is interesting due to the fact that it seems to be the only pentagonal minaret in the world.

The Portuguese Fortified City of Mazagan was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, on the basis of its status as an "outstanding example of the interchange of influences between European and Moroccan cultures" and as an "early example of the realisation of the Renaissance ideals integrated with Portuguese construction technology".

El Jadida (Berber: ⵎⴰⵣⵖⴰⵏ Mazghan, Arabic:الجديدة "new") is a port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, in the province of El Jadida. It has a population of 144,440. From the sea, El Jadida's old city; has a very "un-Moorish" appearance; it has massive Portuguese walls of hewn stone. El Jadida, previously known as Mazagan (Portuguese: Mazagão), was seized in 1502 by the Portuguese, and they controlled this city until 1769, when they abandoned Mazagão. Its inhabitants were evacuated to Brazil, where they founded new settlement Nova Mazagão (now in Amapá). El Jadida was then taken over by Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah.

According to UNESCO, the most important buildings from the Portuguese period are the cistern, and the Manueline Church of the Assumption. The design of the Fortress of Mazagan is a response to the development of modern artillery in the Renaissance. The star form of the fortress measures c 250m by 300m. The slightly inclined, massive walls are c 8m high on average, with a thickness of 10m, enclosing a patrolling peripheral walkway 2m wide. At the present time the fortification has four bastions: the Angel Bastion in the east, St Sebastian in the north, St Antoine in the west, and the Holy Ghost Bastion in the south. The fifth, the Governor’s Bastion at the main entrance, is in ruins, having been destroyed by the Portuguese in 1769. Numerous colonial-era Portuguese cannons are still positioned on top of the bastions.

Nikon D3 ,Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZF
1/1000s f/8.0 at 25.0mm iso200 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
previous | next
share
Matylda Lempel-Chareza Photography07-Jan-2012 20:41
ladne ale za ostre,v
woody3406-Jan-2012 21:07
Beautiful perspective of this incredible building,brilliant sky..enjoyed the background history.
J. Scott Coile06-Jan-2012 20:10
Hard exposure. Well handled.
Walter Otto Koenig06-Jan-2012 19:39
Superb with these vivid colors strong lighting and contrasts. "V"
Jola Dziubinska06-Jan-2012 19:15
Beautiful clear colors and light, excellent compo. V.
Giancarlo Guzzardi06-Jan-2012 18:34
Magnificent this pure light
Guest 06-Jan-2012 18:21
Excellent work. V.
Paolo Peggi (aka Bracciodiferro)06-Jan-2012 17:07
My fave.BV
Paolo
Nestor Derkach06-Jan-2012 16:41
A great sky with a perfect composition.
Nice light and image resolution.
Vote
Tom Munson06-Jan-2012 16:30
Great light and another wonderful composition!
PauloCGama06-Jan-2012 16:29
Thanks for the text and for sharing such wonderful shot, Tomasz.