Home > Sites > Acre > El-Majadele Mosque

 

Contents: Background Location History Photos Links Etymology

Background:

 

   The mosque is located on the western side of the old city, close to the citadel. It is recognized by its tall green-tipped tower. The mosque was built over the Crusaders western tower, part of the fortress of the "Hospitallers" - the  order of the Knights of the Hospital of Saint John  fortress.

 

    The mosque is named after the residents of the southern city of Ashkeleon (Migdal-Ashkeleon or Migdal-Gaza) who transferred to the city in the 19th C and later built this mosque in their neighborhood.

 

  By the way,  Majadele is also the name of the first Arab-Israeli minister, Raleb Majadele, who was appointed in 2007 to be the Minister of Science, Culture and Sport.

 

   

Location and Aerial map:

 

   The easiest way to get to the tower is from the western side. Drive along the western road, pass the citadel western walls, and park in the large parking area or drive closer to the mosque.

 

   The following aerial view shows the location of the mosque, on the western side of the knight's halls complex. You can point on the purple points to navigate to the selected point in this web page. 

 

 

History:

 

	1104AD	Crusaders conquer the city ; fortify the city
	1187AD	Saladin takes the city after capturing Jerusalem; Christians are evacuated
	1191AD	Richard the Lion Heart retakes the city on the 3rd Crusade
		becomes the capital of the remnant of the Kingdom of Jerusalem
	1229AD	Acre is Controlled by the Hospitaller Knights, who are based in the citadel
	1291AD	After siege, Mamelukes capture the city; they destroy it completely, including the citadel; the city remains a small village
	1517AD	Ottomans take the city; city falls into total decay
	end of 18thC	Jezzer Pasha improves and fortifies the city
	beginning of 19th	The mosque is built
	1819–1831	The mosque is the prayer place of Abdullah Pasha, governor of Acre

 

Photos:

 

A view from the north-west side is seen below. This was the south-western side of the Crusaders fortress, where the western tower was located. The fortress was dismantled in 1291, and the mosque was built over the ruins in the 19th C.

 

 

A view from the west:

 

 

The photo below shows the western entrance to the mosque.

 

 

Etymology (behind the word):

Majadele - Arabic: tower. The name of a muslim town in the ancient port of Ashkeleon, who transferred to Acre and built the mosque.   Migdal - Hebrew: tower.

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