Strasbourg , September 27, 2012 (MAP)
Strasbourg , September 27, 2012 (MAP)
Strasbourg Great Mosque, France’s biggest Muslim religious building, to which Morocco is the biggest contributor, was inaugurated Thursday morning in presence of several Moroccan and French personalities, including Morocco’s Minister of Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Taoufiq, and French Interior Minister in charge of Cults, Manuel Valls.
Speaking at the inauguration, Valls said this mosque gives Islam its grandeur and its glare, and confers to this religion “its place in France.”
The mosque is built on an area of 10,000m² and can accommodate up to 1,500 people, including 500 women. The construction required 10 million euros, to which Morocco contributed 3.9 million, that is the biggest contribution.
The edifice is erected in the center of the city. It was conceived by Italian architect Paolo Portoghesi, and has a 24m-high golden dome that integrates peacefully in the setting.