The king of Morocco at the time, Hassan 2, first mentioned the project of this mosque in 1980, declaring that he would build it on the water, because of the Islamic belief that the throne of God rests on water. It was designed by the French architect, Michel Pinseau, and has the tallest minaret in the world, with its 200 metres. There is room for 20,000 worshippers inside the mosque at the same time, and the courtyard gives space for another 80,000. It was inaugurated on August 30, 1993. 2,500 men worked on two shifts in order to complete the mosque of Hassan 2. 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. More information on this mosque in the Encyclopaedia.
