Salé Great Mosque, Rabat

The Sale Great Mosque is the most significant religious structure in Sale. As the city's main mosque, it dominates the old town both in historical importance and sheer size, covering an area of 5,070 square meters (54,600 square feet), making it the third-largest mosque in Morocco.

The Sale Great Mosque dates back to the 11th century, with the first structure built under Temim Ibn Ziri between 1028 and 1030. The current mosque is largely a 12th-century reconstruction by Almohad ruler Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur in 1196, following the collapse of the earlier roof. The project, overseen by al-Gharnati from Granada, was built with the labor of 700 French slaves.

The mosque’s history has been shaped by numerous attacks and restorations. In 1260, Castilian forces sacked Sale, capturing 3,000 women, children, and elderly residents who had taken refuge in the mosque and enslaving them in Seville. The Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub later recaptured the city, and in 1342, Sultan Abu al-Hasan reinforced the mosque’s status as a center of learning by building a madrasa beside it.

The mosque’s current appearance largely dates back to an 18th-century renovation under the 'Alawi dynasty, which also saw the construction of the present minaret. However, its walls still bear the scars of historical conflicts, particularly the 1851 French bombardment of Sale, during which six cannonballs struck the mosque, causing severe damage.

During the French protectorate, the mosque played a role beyond religion—it became a gathering place for Moroccan nationalists in the 1930s, led by figures such as Said Hajji, Ahmed Maaninou, Boubker el-Kadiri, and Abu Bakr Zniber. Fearing its influence, the colonial authorities closed the mosque to suppress nationalist sentiment, though it was later reopened.

Today, the Sale Great Mosque remains an imposing symbol of Moorish architecture and a landmark of religious and historical significance. While non-Muslims are not permitted to enter, its elegant columns, traditional carpets, and architectural grandeur continue to define the spiritual heart of Sale.