The Grand Mosque of Mansuri is considered to be the most important aspect of the Mamluk city. It is the oldest in Tripoli and the first in the Mamluk period. It was built by Sultan Khalil Qalawun, known as Al-Ashraf in 1294 AD, five years after defeating the Crusaders and entering the city.
It took four years to build it; it has a square shape and an area of 3224 sq. The mosque has a special significance to the city of Tripoli, as it is one of the most important religious centers in terms of value, historical representation, spaciousness and location in the old city. It played a social, cultural and political role since demonstrations and popular movements were set off from that site during the confrontation with the French Mandate before the Independence Day until recently.
The Mansuri Mosque is not one of the most luxurious and richly adorned mosques such as the Tinal Mosque, which is considered the most beautiful mosque in Tripoli.
However, it is characterized by simplicity, a clear and organized design: The center has a square shape where the ablution basin lies and is surrounded by corridors from the north, east and west and the prayer setting in the south.
To the right of the Haram is a small and famous space called “The Room of the Holy Sepulcher”, which includes a hair of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in a pure gold box. The Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II offered this hair to the city of Tripoli and it is taken out only twice a year, the last Friday in the holy month of Ramadan and after dawn prayer in Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Decree).
The Hall of the mosque extends along the southern side of the courtyard, has seven large doors and consists of seven arches inside. On the southern wall of the Haram (prayer Hall) are two Mihrabs (Niches) and a wooden podium adorned with geometric motifs that have been preserved since the mosque was built.
According to Tripoli’s historian Dr. Omar Tadmouri, the Great Mansouri Mosque was built on the ruins of an ancient church, where the main gothic gate and minaret tower are the remains of a Crusader church. The minaret was formerly the Lombardi tower of the church of Saint-Marie-de-Latour that was destroyed at Mansour Qalawoun’s siege of the city.