Unusual mosques in West Africa, in which nothing distracts from prayer

When we talk about Muslim mosques, we immediately imagine luxurious temples decorated with gold, stones, mosaics. The constructions, over the interior dazzling decoration of which for months, or maybe years, the best craftsmen worked, and from the sight of which they take their breath away. And in most cases, these ideas are true, but not if it comes to mosques in West Africa.

These unusual buildings destroy all stereotypes about Muslim temples: here you will not see either the usual shape or rich interior, only clay, wood and sand. The constructions were built of wooden beams and clay bricks, instead of the floor - ordinary sand and prayer rugs, instead of windows - small openings at the vault. The only drawback of such a structure is that it is very, very fragile; repair work must be carried out annually.

Great Mosque in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Wall of the Great Jenna Mosque

The guy on a bicycle in the background of the Great Jenna Mosque

Jenna's Great Mosque rises above the market square

Restoration work is carried out annually

Wooden beams strengthen walls

Outwardly, mosques look like huge sand castles

Labarang Mosque in Ghana

A mosque in the village of Banda Nkvanta, built in the XVIII century.

Sankore Madrasah in the Historical Part of Tombouctou

Bole Mosque, Ghana

Mosque Kong, Cote d'Ivoire

Mopti Grand Mosque, Mali

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