The old mosque
Arches and palm-trunk columns.
Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Lorchidee07 — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY 4.0 · Lorchidee07 — CC BY-SA 3.0
Sidi Okba Mosque stands in the town named after him near Biskra and holds the tomb of Uqba ibn Nafi, a companion of the Prophet in many sources and the famous commander of the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb. It is one of the oldest Islamic monuments in Algeria, and visitors come from many regions, mindful of its religious standing. Uqba was killed in an ambush near Thouda in 683 and buried here, with the tomb probably dating from 686. The mosque grew around it in stages, and its builder is not known for certain. The tomb's cedar doors date from about 1025. A zawiya was added in 1665, and the mihrab dates from about 1800. It was renovated in 1969 and 1996, then joined in 2009 to a large modern complex. The old mosque is simple, with a flat roof and horseshoe arches on whitewashed columns, some made of palm trunks. It has two domes, a mihrab with interlaced stucco, and a square minaret with niches and crossing arches. Around it now is a wide complex with a prayer hall for 5,000 worshippers, porticoes, a gold dome, a Quranic school and a library. The town is 18.8 km in a straight line south-east of Biskra. The old prayer hall no longer serves as a mosque, while the new one is for prayer, so do not visit during prayer times. Dress modestly, women cover their hair, and remove your shoes before entering. Ask before taking photos, and avoid the tomb when crowded. Access for non-Muslims may be limited, so ask at the gate.
Arches and palm-trunk columns.
Cedar from about 1025.
A prayer hall for 5,000.
Sidi Okba town, Biskra Province
Access may be limited, so ask at the gate and follow the etiquette.
Yes, in the town of Sidi Okba to its south-east.