Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque

Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque (Sinhala: කොලඹ කොටුව රතු පල්ලිය, romanized: Kolomba Kotuwa Rathu Palliya, Tamil: மஸ்ஜிதுல் ஜாமிஉல் அஃபார் அல்லது சம்மாங்கோடு பள்ளிவாசல், romanized: Sammankodu Pallivasal, (known colloquially as the Samman Kottu Palli,[1] Rathu Palliya, Red Masjid or the Red Mosque) is a historic mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is located on Second Cross Street in Pettah. The mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Colombo and a popular tourist site in the city.

Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
කොලඹ කොටුව රතු පල්ලිය
கொழும்பு புறக்கோட்டை சம்மாங்கோடு பள்ளிவாசல் (மஸ்ஜிதுல் ஜாமிஉல் அஃபார்)
The distinctive red and white minarets of Jami Ul-Afar
Religion
AffiliationIslam
Location
LocationPettah, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque is located in Central Colombo
Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque
Shown within Central Colombo
Geographic coordinates6.9385°N 79.8518°E / 6.9385; 79.8518
Architecture
Typemosque
StyleIndo-Saracenic
Groundbreaking1908
Completed1909
Website
redmasjid.com

History

Construction of the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque commenced in 1908 and the building was completed in 1909.[2][3] The mosque was commissioned by the local Indian Muslim community, based in Pettah, to fulfill their required five-times-daily prayer and Jummah on Fridays. The mosque's designer and builder was Habibu Lebbe Saibu Lebbe (an unlettered architect), and was based on details/images of Indo-Saracenic structures provided by South Indian traders, who commissioned him.[1] It is a hybrid style of architecture, that draws elements from native Indo-Islamic and Indian architecture, and combines it with the Gothic revival and Neo-classical styles. Originally it had the capacity for 1,500 worshippers although at the time only around 500 were attending prayers.

It is a distinctive red and white candy-striped two-storey building, with a clock tower, and is reminiscent of the Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (constructed in 1910).[2] Before other landmarks were built, some claim that the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque was recognised as the landmark of Colombo by sailors approaching the port.

In 1975 the mosque, with the assistance of the Haji Omar Trust,[3] purchased a number of the adjoining properties and commenced building an expansion to the mosque to increase its capacity to 10,000.[4]

See also

References
  1. Deen, M. Haris Z (9 October 2015). "Saibo Lebbe: The unlettered architect who designed and built Red Mosque". The Island. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  2. Cooray, Nilan (27 November 2011). "Quarterly Tours - No. 20" (PDF). National Trust of Sri Lanka. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  3. Achmad, Laila (18 March 2015). "10 beautiful mosques you've probably never heard of". Aquila Style. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  4. "A Spiritual Journey". Time Out. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
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