The Great Mosque of Latakia

The Great Mosque is Latakia’s surviving Ayyubid mosque; the Ayyubids were the dynasty founded by Saladin. According to the inscription at its entrance, it was built in AH 607, or 1210, by Ahmad ibn Arslan al-Nasiri al-Zahiri. The city then belonged to al-Malik al-Zahir Ghazi, the Ayyubid ruler of Aleppo, so the mosque was first called the Zahiri Mosque. The name Mansuri was added later, and today both are used together: the Mansuri Zahiri Great Mosque.

Where the name Mansuri comes from

The sources disagree. The Kültür Envanteri heritage database links it to the Mamluk sultan Qalawun, who took the city in 1287. The Arabic Wikipedia article on Latakia says instead that Sultan Qaitbay built the Mansuri Mosque during his visit in 1477. The sources we have are not enough to choose between the two.

What to see

The prayer hall is rectangular. Five domes cover it. The stone minaret on the west side belongs to the historic part of the building. In AH 825, or 1422, the Inaliyya Madrasa, a religious school, was added to the west of the prayer hall. The ablution area was rebuilt in 2001.

Is it open today

Not verified. We found no recent source specific to this building showing that it is open for prayer or to visitors. Hours and access need to be checked on site. The location could not be confirmed by two independent sources either, so the page has no map.

How long it takes

Half an hour is enough for the inscription, the prayer hall and a look at the minaret from outside.

What most people miss

The entrance inscription itself. It gives the date and the founder’s name, and the name Zahiri comes from it. On the way out, look for the Inaliyya Madrasa to the west: more than two centuries separate it from the main building.