Great Mosque of Brussels
The Great Mosque of Brussels (French: Grande mosquée de Bruxelles; Dutch: Grote Moskee van Brussel) is located in the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark. Originally built in 1897 as an exhibition attraction, it was transformed into a Muslim place of worship in 1978 by Saudi Arabia, which managed it for forty years. From April 2019 to June 2023, it was run by the Muslim Executive of Belgium, close to the Moroccan administration.
| Great Mosque of Brussels | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Leadership | Salah Echallaoui (2019-2020) |
| Location | |
| Location | Brussels, Belgium |
| Geographic coordinates | 50°50′36″N 4°23′16″E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Ernest Van Humbeeck Mongi Boubaker |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | Arabic |
| Completed | 1879 (original building) 1978 (transformation) |
The Great Mosque's role as the leading religious institution within the Belgian Islamic community—as well as its intended role as a diplomatic bridge between the Saudi and Belgian monarchies—has been a point of debate since its re-foundation. The mosque is popular with Muslim diplomats and is a popular location for Belgians seeking to convert to Islam. It has also taught thousands of Muslim students.