Al Omari Mosque, Beirut

The Al Omari Grand Mosque in Beirut stands as a historical and religious landmark with a layered history spanning over a millennium. Originally built in 635 CE during the reign of Islam's second caliph, Umar Bin El Khattab, the structure served various religious purposes over the centuries. It began as a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter, transformed into a Roman church during the Byzantine era, and later became a mosque following the Islamic conquest.

The building witnessed further transformations, notably during the Christian Crusades when it was converted into the Church of Saint John in the 12th century. This conversion included architectural elements typical of Romanesque churches, such as triple apses, with materials reused from Roman structures. However, in 1291, following the Crusades, the Mamluks captured Beirut and the building was once again converted into a mosque, and named the Al-Omari Mosque in honor of Caliph Umar. It then gained the title "Jami’ Al-Kabir" (the Great Mosque).

Architectural renovations continued under the Mamluks, with significant additions like the Mamluk-style entrance and minarets completed by 1350, incorporating traces of Byzantine architecture from its previous incarnation as a church. Further modifications occurred during the French Mandate in the early 20th century when the façade was redesigned, adding a riwaq (portico) and aligning the main entrance with the colonnade of Maarad Street.

The mosque’s interior is adorned with sandstone walls featuring inscriptions from both the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. Inside, a golden steel cage—a gift from Sultan Abdul Hamid II—surrounds a shrine dedicated to John the Baptist. Notably, the mosque also houses three hairs from Prophet Muhammad, gifted by Sultan Abd el-Mejid I.