Tour Hassan

Tour Hassan, One of Rabat’s Million Moroccan Treasures![MSOffice1] 

  In the heart of Rabat, at the conflux of the Sale River and Atlantic Ocean stands a mystery of Morocco’s Berber past. It was intended to be the highest Minaret of the largest Masjid in the then known world. It was to stand in testament to Gods power and the then Sultan (Yaqub al-Mansurs) faith and power. Construction began in 1195AD, under Sultan Yaqub al-Mansur and ended upon his death in 1199AD.

 It held the unique design of ramps instead of stairs, allowing a rider to ascend the call to Prayer (Athan).The tower reached a height of 44meters, only half of it planed size of 86 Meters.

The mystery remains why, with half the tower, 200 Columns and the flooring and base complete was work abandoned. It seems a sad excuse to blame the death of the Sultan on the project being abandoned along with its sizable investment. A legend popular in Rabat is that the towers incomplete state and the untimely passing of the leader went hand –in-hand. A clear message from Allah (Subhanna wa Tala) to the faithful that the Sultan, reaching for the heavens he fell from the exalted position he was given by the Almighty. It seems the final straw was the ramps designed to allow a mounted rider to climb to the call for prayers. Many local people, even today relate the two events to the Sultan`s striving to be equal with Allah (Subhanna wa Tala).

In any case it is a mystery that will never be solved .The area (now a UNSECO World Heritage site) stands stark in its reminders to us across the centuries. We need to remain Pious, Humble and Repentance or we too may suffer the fate of the Sultan of our sad tale. Unrealized dreams and plans and separation from our Creator!

 

 [MSOffice1]