The Grand Mosque of Niamey is an Islamic mosque located in the capital city of Niamey, the Republic of Niger. It is the largest mosque in the city, which is located along the Islam Avenue, and it is one of the most important city landmarks. The mosque was built in the 1970s with complete funding from the Libyan government and with the full support of the late Libyan leader Gaddafi. He has built the most impressive and the most dignified structure that there is in the capital, Niamey.
It is a beaming adobe with a prism of latticed archways capped with a brilliant green dome, glittering and unscathed after decades under the Sahelian sunlight and dust. As it dominates a vast open expanse, it is one of the very few important buildings that are not behind a high wall or a security cordon.
ADVERTISEMENT
On Fridays, it is the busiest day ever, since the main prayer for the locals happens then. For other people, non-Muslims as well, it is allowed to go inside and take a look at it. There is a guide that should greet you, most of the time, and take you around for a small charge, which is decided by you.
There is a minaret that can be accessed too, with 171 steps, from where you can have a really nice overview of Niamey’s skyline. Like or dislike Gaddafi, this mosque definitely is one of the most interesting that can be seen throughout Africa.
