Grande Mosquee de Lyon

The first stone of the Lyon mosque was laid on the 14th of June 1992, which closed the controversy over the legitimacy of its construction. Certain people imagined that the minaret would challenge the basilica at Fourviere! The project was conceived by the Ballandras and Mirabeau of Lyon and was mainly funded by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and by other muslim countries. Opened in September 1994, the mosque responded to its critics with a mix of discretion and occidental modernity. The Persian arcs of the facade, the minaret which is 25 metres high and the white dome mounted on a crescent are the most apparent exterior elements, but it is on the inside where you can see the real architectural dexterity. The entrance patio is covered by a glass pyramid supported by 230 columns. A mezzanine level was fitted in the prayer room for the women, which overhangs the mihrab showing the direction of Mecca. The mihrab is decorated with a blue mosaic saying the famous verse "there is no other God than God and Mohammed is his prophet". The mosque has a documentation centre.

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• Attraction Type: Religious Buildings
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