Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune inaugurated a massive mosque on the Mediterranean coast, which is considered the third largest mosque in the world and the largest mosque in Africa. The "Great Mosque of Algiers," built by a Chinese construction company during the second decade of this century, features the tallest minaret in the world, standing at 256 meters. This third largest mosque in the world and the largest outside sacred Islamic cities accommodates 120,000 worshippers. Its modern design includes Arabic and North African decorations in honor of Algerian traditions and culture, along with a helipad and a library capable of housing up to one million books. Ali Mohammed Salabi, Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, stated that the opening will guide Muslims "to goodness and moderation."
It is noteworthy that the mosque was originally a project of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who designed it to be the largest in Africa, intending it to be his legacy, and named it "Abdelaziz Bouteflika Mosque," resembling the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Previously, this mosque, named after the former Moroccan king, Algeria's neighbor and regional rival, was marketed as the largest in Africa. However, protests that swept Algeria in 2019 led to his resignation after 20 years in power and prevented Bouteflika from fulfilling his plans or naming the mosque after himself or inaugurating it in February 2019 as initially scheduled. The mosque includes a library for around one million books, a conference hall, a Quran house, an Islamic art and history museum, and a research center on Algerian history.
