The minarets
Green domes above white.
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The Mosque of Divinity is a white mosque with twin minarets in the Ouakam district of western Dakar, standing by the shore near the Corniche-Ouest and looking out over the Atlantic. In French it is the Mosquée de la Divinité. Few mosques have such a setting, with a green cliff behind and the fishermen's painted boats on the sand in front. The idea for it came from Mohamed Gorgui Seyni Guèye in 1973, and accounts among his followers say he dreamed of a mosque rising on the beach and took this as a divine command. Cheikh Ngom led the building, which was not completed until 1997. Each minaret stands 45 metres tall. Many worshippers wear white on Fridays, a recommendation of its founder still widely kept. The two white minarets rise above the building, each topped by a green dome with red decoration, and a wide yard surrounds it. Closest of all are the beach and the wooden fishing boats in their bright colours. From the high road above you see mosque, cliff and waves together, which is the finest view, above all in the morning light. The African Renaissance Monument is less than 1 km away in a straight line. You walk down a long staircase from the road or come by taxi. Travel guides say the interior is not open to non-Muslims, so you see it from outside. Dress modestly, avoid prayer times, and ask before photographing near worshippers or fishermen.
Green domes above white.
Bright on the sand.
Mosque, cliff and waves.
Ouakam Bay, Dakar, Senegal
Travel guides say the interior is closed to them, but the exterior view is worth the visit.
It is a recommendation of the mosque's founder, which many worshippers still keep.
