Spanish Mosque

Spanish Mosque

Overview:

• It was built in the early 1930s; There are those who call it the “Bu Asafir” mosque, in reference to a supposed tomb that had this name and was built upon it, and there are those who call it the “Christian” mosque and other names.

• It overlooks the city of Chefchaouen from the east, and the shadows of the fields are spread in its sides.

Historic overview:

Many years ago, it became a destination for hundreds of tourists from inside and outside, due to its presence on a high hill that allows panoramic views of the city, or to take some pictures to document the place and touch the sunset moments.

• It was built by order of a high-ranking Spanish colonial officer, who was a military governor of Chefchaouen and its region (which was called at the time the Ghamra region) called "Fernando Capaz", and he was fluent in Arabic, and his hearing was weak; The idea of building the mosque came to him in order to show his closeness to the Muslims of the city and suburbs, who showed an aversion to Spanish colonialism.

• The foundations of the mosque were placed in a high place, where there was no mosque or grave before, but it was an empty place; It was called "Bouzafar" in relation to another Spaniard who had long mustaches, and he was a contractor who undertook its construction.

• At that time, the endowment administration was for the jurist (Al-Zanan) as a reward for calling the adhan in the mosque, but the residents boycotted the prayer there, accusing sergeant Capaz of taking it as a church and not a mosque, since the 1930s until now, the mosque is closed and no prayer is allowed.

• It was restored by the urban community in 2007; This monument is close to the banks of the Ras al-Maa valley, and has thus become a tourist site that symbolizes an architectural masterpiece overlooking the city in its wide range.

Resources:

hespress website

chaouenpress website

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