Queen Victoria Mosque

Queen Victoria Mosque
The mosque in 2011
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Mosque
Status	Active
Location
Location	62 Chiappinni Street, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town
Country	South Africa
Location of the mosque in Cape Town
Geographic coordinates	33°55′22.1390″S18°24′43.7490″E / 33.922816389°S 18.412152500°E / -33.922816389; 18.412152500
Architecture
Type	Mosque architecture
Completed	c. 1850
Specifications
Dome(s)	One (maybe more)
Minaret(s)	Two (maybe more)

The Queen Victoria Mosque, also called the Jamia Mosque, is a mosque, situated at the corner of Chiappini and Castle street, in Cape Town, South Africa. ^[1] It is considered to be the first and oldest mosque in Cape Town, ^{[2] [3]} and the largest in the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town. ^[4] The mosque is a National heritage site. ^[5]

History

While some sources mention that the mosque was built in 1850, ^[a] others mention that the land for building the mosque was granted in 1851. ^[b] It is a Shafee mosque ^[6] and was the first mosque built on land that was specifically given for a mosque site by the British Crown. ^[1] This may have been one reason it was referred to as Queen Victoria mosque. ^[1] Another reason it was referred to thus could have been the involvement of the British Crown in resolving disputes within the Muslim community. ^[7] The Jamia mosque site was granted to the Cape Muslims with the expressed assurance that it be utilised by all Muslims regardless of their differences. ^[1] The land grant resulted out of conditions in the Colony in 1846. ^{[1] [c]}

See also

• Islam portal
• South Africa portal

• Islam in South Africa
• List of mosques in South Africa

Notes

1. Worden, et al. (2004) mention that the mosque was built in 1850. ^[2]
2. Hutchinson (2006) writes that the mosque site was approved only on 19 October 1851 and the title deeds were transferred three years thence. ^[6]
3. In 1804, the Cape was threatened by war; the increasing clashes on the Eastern Frontier required the complete trust of those who lived in the Colony, leading to the inclination to appease the Muslim community. ^[1]

References

1. Davids, Achmat (1980). The Mosques of Bo-Kaap. Athlone, Cape Town: The South African Institute of Arabic and Islamic Research. p. 138.
2. Worden, Nigel; Van Heyningen, Elizabeth; Bickford-Smith, Vivian (2004). Cape Town: The Making of a City. New Africa Books. pp. 187–. ISBN   978-0-86486-656-1.
3. "The colourful Bo-Kaap district in Cape Town, South Africa". Insightguides.com. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
4. "Mosques". Bokaap.co.za. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
5. "Jamia Masjid, 62 Chiappini Street, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town". South African Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRIS). 2 May 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
6. Hutchinson, Michael (2006). Bo-Kaap: Colourful Heart of Cape Town. New Africa Books. pp. 78–. ISBN   978-0-86486-693-6.
7. McCormick, Kay (2002). Language in Cape Town's District Six. Oxford University Press. pp. 32–. ISBN   978-0-19-823554-5.