The Great Mosque of Asilah is the principal mosque of the medina, its square minaret rising above the roofline of the surrounding whitewashed houses and visible from the ramparts. The mosque is the centrepiece of the historic kasbah quarter at the northern end of the medina.
As with almost all Moroccan mosques, the interior is closed to non-Muslim visitors, but the exterior — particularly the ornate entrance gate and the minaret with its zellige tilework — is worth pausing to look at. The surrounding streets of the kasbah are among the most atmospheric in Asilah, narrower and quieter than the main medina lanes.
The mosque dates to the period of Moroccan sultanate rule, though its current form reflects later renovations. It stands at the heart of the community that has lived within Asilah's walls for centuries, and the call to prayer from its minaret marks time for the entire medina.