Mansouri Great Mosque

The Mansouri Great Mosque, also known as the Grand Mosque of Tripoli, is the largest and most important mosque in the city, built by the Mamluks in 1294. It stands at the heart of the old city and is the most prominent building in the historic centre. The mosque incorporates significant architectural elements from the Crusader cathedral that previously occupied the site — the Gothic columns around the courtyard are particularly striking.

The mosque's interior is spacious and well-proportioned, with a prayer hall that accommodates large congregations. The minaret is one of the tallest in Lebanon and a landmark visible from much of the old city. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times and during the Friday midday prayer period. The area immediately around the mosque contains the densest concentration of Mamluk monuments in Tripoli.

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A story
The Mansouri Great Mosque was built in 1294 on the site of the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Tower, a Gothic cathedral that the Mamluk sultan Qalawun had demolished along with the rest of the old Crusader city five years earlier. The columns in the mosque's courtyard, the Gothic doorways, and some of the stonework are all recycled from the cathedral — a deliberate statement of supersession that was common Mamluk practice after defeating the Crusaders.