Annual restoration of Mali’s Great Mosque of Djenne ends on festive note

By shoring up its walls, residents of the city of Djenne participate in yearly rendering of the ancient Great Mosque, the centuries-old epicentre of religious and cultural life in Mali.

People take part in the annual rendering of the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali on April 28, 2019.
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People take part in the annual rendering of the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali on April 28, 2019.


Like every year, thousands of people gathered in the historic city of Djenne last Sunday to take part in the annual mud-plastering ceremony of the majestic Great Mosque, the largest mud building on earth.  


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People take part in the annual rendering of the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali on April 28, 2019.

The entire community renders the unique mosque with banco – a mixture of soil, water, rice bran, shea butter and baobab powder – which protects the building from both erosion, caused by torrential rains, and cracks and fissures inflicted by hot weather. 

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A man takes part in the annual rendering of the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali on April 28, 2019.

The residents of various neighbourhoods compete to finish first.

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People take part in the annual rendering of the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali on April 28, 2019.

The winning team usually gets the award of 50,000 CFA, which is equivalent to $85. 

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People take part in the annual rendering of the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali on April 28, 2019.


Even though the magnificent example of West African Islamic architecture was constructed in around the 13th century, the Great Mosque that we see today was completed in 1907. 


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People walk past the Grand Mosque of Djenne, a UNESCO World-Heritage listed site, in Djenne, Mali, on September 1, 2012.

The city of Djenne along with Timbuktu played a crucial role in the expansion of Islam deep into the African continent. Starting from the 13th century, the city became a commercial hotspot as it was linked to key trade routes stretching from the shores of West Africa all the way to the Mediterranean coast and the Middle East.

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An aerial view taken on April 28, 2019 shows the historic central Malian city of Djenne, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

As the merchant caravans and increasing mobility of people brought a significant amount of wealth to the entire region, the scholars and scientists who set up Islamic schools and education centres transformed the city into an intellectual hub in West Africa. 

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Aboubakar Yaro, head of conservation at the Djenne Library of Manuscipts, poses next to Koranic scripts written on pieces of wood in Djenne, on September 1, 2012. Djenne is thought to have at least 10,000 manuscripts held in private collections, dating from the 14th to 20th centuries.


As the city rose, the Great Mosque became the epicentre of religious and cultural life in Djenne and across Mali.



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A picture shows the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali during its annual rendering ceremony on April 28, 2019.

Since then, every single year, the people of Djenne gather to keep their rich Islamic tradition alive. 

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People take part in the annual rendering of the Great Mosque of Djenne in central Mali on April 28, 2019.

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