The Great Mosque of Djenné is the largest historical mud mosque in the sub-Saharan region and is considered by many to be the greatest achievement of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style. (2) Djenné is located 30 km Southwest of Mopti (the regional capital) and 570 km Northeast of Bamako (the national capital). It is one of the oldest towns of sub-Saharan Africa. (3) The sculptural beauty, intelligence, and originality behind the Great Mosque of Djenné are a product of architectural influence. “The very impressive and stately Great Mosque of Djenné is the product of architectural influences originating in a vast area that ranges from present-day Ghana to North-Africa, to the Maghreb.” (4)
“Abderrahman Es-Sa’di, originally of Timbuktu …show more content…
One of the most famous of these is the Great Mosque at Djenneé.” (1) The international reputation of Djenné’s architecture is founded on the image of its mud mosques and houses that stand as testimony to their skillful masons. A mason is a profession passed down from one generation of a family to the next; creating a continuous relationship between the masons and the houses, they build (and maintain). (5)
The architecture of Djenné’s town has changed over the years. “During the nineteenth century, indigenous architecture was replaced by European models, including Christian churches, often build in the Gothic style. Most African homes, even today, are built of impermanent material, such as grass, wood, animal skins, or clay and are not intended to withstand the passage of time.” …show more content…
(2)
Life is Djenné is not as beautiful as their adobe mosques. Djenné is a small town located outside the main streams of development of Mali and inhabits roughly 33,000 people (2). The city itself has no proper sanitation system and wastewaters flow in the streets before being dumped into the Bani River. Environmental hazards have accumulated quickly and are causing large problems in areas populated by the poorest segment. (2) Income for the town of Djenné is dependent on the marketplace, agriculture, and livestock.
Foreign tourism plays an important role in local economy during the cooler winter months. Most tourists visit the market and pay tribute to the Mosque as an attraction. If you are a non-Muslim tourist, the Mosque is out of bounds and can only be viewed from the outside.
Every year a festival takes place during which local people repair the walls of the mosque, which have endured wind, rain, and scorching sun. The days leading up to the festival, the plaster is prepared and cured. Young boys are in charge of stirring up the mixture, while the men climb onto the mosque’s built-in scaffolding (the palm wood) and plaster the exterior face of the mosque. Women and young girls contribute in the festivities by carrying water to the workmen. Keeping with tradition, members of Djenné mason’s guild direct the work. The older generations, who have participated
“Abderrahman Es-Sa’di, originally of Timbuktu …show more content…
One of the most famous of these is the Great Mosque at Djenneé.” (1) The international reputation of Djenné’s architecture is founded on the image of its mud mosques and houses that stand as testimony to their skillful masons. A mason is a profession passed down from one generation of a family to the next; creating a continuous relationship between the masons and the houses, they build (and maintain). (5)
The architecture of Djenné’s town has changed over the years. “During the nineteenth century, indigenous architecture was replaced by European models, including Christian churches, often build in the Gothic style. Most African homes, even today, are built of impermanent material, such as grass, wood, animal skins, or clay and are not intended to withstand the passage of time.” …show more content…
(2)
Life is Djenné is not as beautiful as their adobe mosques. Djenné is a small town located outside the main streams of development of Mali and inhabits roughly 33,000 people (2). The city itself has no proper sanitation system and wastewaters flow in the streets before being dumped into the Bani River. Environmental hazards have accumulated quickly and are causing large problems in areas populated by the poorest segment. (2) Income for the town of Djenné is dependent on the marketplace, agriculture, and livestock.
Foreign tourism plays an important role in local economy during the cooler winter months. Most tourists visit the market and pay tribute to the Mosque as an attraction. If you are a non-Muslim tourist, the Mosque is out of bounds and can only be viewed from the outside.
Every year a festival takes place during which local people repair the walls of the mosque, which have endured wind, rain, and scorching sun. The days leading up to the festival, the plaster is prepared and cured. Young boys are in charge of stirring up the mixture, while the men climb onto the mosque’s built-in scaffolding (the palm wood) and plaster the exterior face of the mosque. Women and young girls contribute in the festivities by carrying water to the workmen. Keeping with tradition, members of Djenné mason’s guild direct the work. The older generations, who have participated