Great Mosque of Nablus - Al-Salahi Mosque
The Great Salahi Mosque is the most important and largest mosque in the historic city of Nablus. It is named after the Ayyubid leader Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi.
The mosque is located at the eastern end of the old town, situated along the intersection of two of the city's most significant streets - Al-Nasr Street to the south and Al-Khan Street to the north. It is also connected to the Al-Habala and Caesarea neighborhoods.
The mosque's layout takes a rectangular shape, extending from east to west over an area of 1,460 square meters. This includes both the open courtyard and the northern entrance iwan. The cylindrical minaret is situated in the middle of the northern facade.
In the center of the open courtyard is a polygonal ablution pool, covered in marble and surrounded by stone steps for worshippers. The northern facade features the main entrance, decorated with stone carvings and stalactite patterns characteristic of the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. Arabic inscriptions in Kufic script are visible on this facade overlooking the ablution pool.
The prayer hall takes a rectangular shape with a large east-west expanse. It is divided into three aisles by rows of stone columns and pillars supporting the intersecting stone arches of the ceiling. The mihrab and minbar are located in the middle of the southern wall.
The mosque's most prominent architectural feature is its grand eastern entrance, where Al-Nasr and Al-Khan Streets meet. This entryway is elaborately designed with interlocking stone arches, columns, and decorative elements.
The mosque's history can be traced back to the Roman period, when the site housed a large basilica. During the Byzantine era, it was converted into a church before being restored as a mosque after the Islamic conquest. It was later converted to a church again during the Crusader period, before being reestablished as a mosque in the Ayyubid era. Despite these transformations, the mosque has maintained its overall basilica layout.
The building was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1927, after which it was reconstructed while preserving its previous architectural features.