Casablanca, Morocco
"The Hassan II Mosque is the second largest mosque in Africa and one of the largest mosques in the world. Its minaret is the world's second tallest minaret at 689 feet. Completed in 1993 it is topped by a laser with the light directed towards Mecca. The mosque stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic Ocean. The walls are made of handcrafted marble, and the roof is retractable. A maximum of 105,000 worshippers can gather together for prayer: 25,000 inside the mosque hall and another 80,000 on the mosque's outside ground.
The mosque rises above the Atlantic Ocean. The building is built partially on land and partially over the ocean. This siting was accomplished by creating a platform linking a natural rock outcrop reclaimed from the sea. Two large breakwaters were also built to protect the mosque from the erosive action of ocean waves, which can reach heights of up to 33 feet.
