Al-Muallaq Mosque | |
Native Name: | מסגד אל-מועלק |
Native Name Lang: | he |
Map Type: | Israel northwest |
Map Size: | 225px |
Coordinates: | 32.9208°N 35.069°W |
Religious Affiliation: | Islam |
Location: | Acre, Northern, Israel |
Festivals: | --> |
Organizational Status: | --> |
Architecture Type: | mosque |
Architecture Style: | Ottoman |
Year Completed: | 1758 |
Date Destroyed: | --> |
Minaret Quantity: | 1 |
Elevation Ft: | --> |
The al-Muallak Mosque (Arabic: المسجد المعلق Masjid Al-Muallaq, Hebrew: מסגד אל-מועלק Misgad Al-Muallak) also known as the Mosque of Zahir al-Umar (Arabic: مسجد ظاهر العمر{{lrm) is a mosque in Acre, Israel.
The mosque was built in 1758 by the Arab ruler of Acre, Zahir al-Umar. It was built in a courtyard on the site of a structure commissioned by the Crusaders and which later became the gate to the Genoaese quarter of the city. Up until 1746, the structure was used as a synagogue by Acre's Jewish residents,[1] called the Ramchal Synagogue.[2] The Jews still owned the building when Zahir chose to transform it into a mosque, but compensated them with a different building located in Acre's Jewish quarter.[1] Leftover features of the synagogue include the niche for the Holy Ark and inscriptions in Hebrew.[3]
The mosque is positioned along the edge of Acre's Old City market, situated between Khan al-Umdan and Khan al-Ifranj, and is risen over the street.[1] From the outside, the main indicators of the mosque are its low-lying dome and the round base of its former minaret.[3] The mosque's entrance is located beneath the original minaret's base.[3] This minaret was demolished by the municipality of Acre in 1950, citing a public safety risk.[3] The body of the mosque is mainly constituted by a large, square-shaped prayer hall,[1] [3] A triple-domed portico precedes the prayer hall's entrance.[3] Beside the prayer hall is a smaller room that is currently used as a library.[1] A stairway beneath a covered entryway leads into the courtyard.[3]