Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Central African Republic Grande Mosquée de Bangui
AO Edited

Grande Mosquée de Bangui

This mosque is an enduring symbol of Central African Republic's rich Muslim heritage.

Bangui, Central African Republic

Added By
Sarah Durn
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Grande Mosquée de Bangui   Getty Images/GIANLUIGI GUERCIA
Grande Mosquée de Bangui   Getty Images/picture alliance
Grande Mosquée de Bangui   Getty Images/GIANLUIGI GUERCIA
Grande Mosquée de Bangui   Getty ImagesAnadolu Agency
The Pope’s visit to the Grande Mosquée de Bangui   Getty Images/GIANLUIGI GUERCIA
Grande Mosquée de Bangui   Getty Images/GIUSEPPE CACACE
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Located in the Koudoukou neighborhood of the Central African Republic capital, the Grande Mosquée de Bangui is a white and green stucco building with three minarets and gold-painted star-and-crescents adorning its roofline. Large fans cool the interior and loudspeakers mounted onto the minarets announce the call to prayer five times a day. During particularly large gatherings, worshippers will overflow into the dirt path in front of the mosque arranging their prayer mats in neat rows.

The spread of Islam in Africa spans more than a millennium. Beginning in the seventh century, Muslim Arabs made their way into North Africa. From there, Muslim traders continued to spread the religion throughout West and East Africa. What is now the Central African Republic was likely among the later regions for Islam to reach, perhaps beginning in the 17th century. Today, about 10 percent of the Central African Republic’s population is Muslim, nearly 570,000 people.

Since declaring independence from France in 1960, the Central African Republic has experienced a series of conflicts. In 2012, a civil war erupted throughout the country, spurred on in part by tensions between Muslim and Christian groups. In April 2014, the Grande Mosquée de Bangui was looted after armed peacekeepers escorted many Muslims out of the conflict zone.

On November 29, 2015, Pope Francis visited the Grande Mosquée de Bangui, as well as the nearby Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral. The mosque is in the PK5 district of the capital city, an area Christian militia groups have laid an ongoing siege to since 2013. Once inside the mosque, Francis preached a message of peace and harmony saying, “Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters.” He concluded his address with the traditional Arabic greeting, “Salam alaikum!” or “peace be upon you.” Francis’s 26-hour visit to Bangui is the first time a pope has ever visited an active war zone.

Related Tags

Architecture Catholic Civil War War Mosques Religion Islam

Community Contributors

Added By

Sarah Durn

Published

December 15, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/27/central-african-republic-bangui-mosque-raid-muslims-flee
  • https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/11/28/dispatches-pope-visit-isolated-muslims-central-african-republic
  • http://www.minplan-rca.org/pays/
  • https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2015/november/documents/papa-francesco_20151130_repubblica-centrafricana-musulmani.html
  • https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1382/the-spread-of-islam-in-ancient-africa/
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/30/pope-francis-mosque-central-african-republic
Grande Mosquée de Bangui
La Grande Mosquée
Av. Barthelemy
Bangui
Central African Republic
4.379164, 18.538018
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

Bangui, Central African Republic

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Central African Republic

Central African Republic

Africa

Places 2

Nearby Places

Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

Bangui, Central African Republic

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Central African Republic

Central African Republic

Africa

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

Our Favorite Newly Added Places Across Africa

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Grand Mosque of Mopti

    Mopti, Mali

    Grand Mosque of Mopti

    Every year, people come together to cover this mud-brick mosque with a fresh layer of earth.

  • The Green Mosque in Kruszyniany

    Kruszyniany, Poland

    Green Mosque of Kruszyniany

    This wooden mosque is one of the few remnants of medieval Poland's Muslim Tatar community in this deeply Catholic country.

  • Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

    Bangui, Central African Republic

    Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

    Amidst political unrest, this Roman Catholic Cathedral has helped organize peace talks.

  • Jama Masjid, Ahmedabad.

    Ahmedabad, India

    Jama Masjid

    This 15th-century mosque is a beautiful blend of Hindu and Islamic architecture.

  • The Mosque of the Divinity in Dakar.

    Dakar, Senegal

    Mosque of the Divinity

    This unique religious structure is an architectural gem with arresting ocean views.

  • Queen Arwa Mosque.

    Jiblah, Yemen

    Queen Arwa Mosque

    One of Yemen’s oldest and most beautiful mosques was named for the incredible, historical queen buried inside it.

  • Interior of the mosque.

    Istanbul, Turkey

    Yeralti Camii (Underground Mosque)

    A surprising and unconventional mosque hidden in the subsoil of Istanbul.

  • The Pink Mosque.

    Shiraz, Iran

    Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

    A spectacular rainbow of stained glass makes the "Pink Mosque" one of the most beautiful in Iran.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.