Ashrafiya Mosque

Madrasa and Mosque of Al-Ashrafiya or Ashrafiya Mosque (Arabic: جامع ومدرسة الأشرفية‎) is a historical madrasa-mosque in the old part of the city of Taiz, Yemen. It is located at the foot of Mount Sabr in the southwestern part of the city in a neighborhood named Ashrafiya. It was built in 1275 and opened in 1382 by Sultan Ashraf Ismail bin Abbas of Rasulid dynasty. In addition to the prayer hall, the mosque is attached with a madrasa and the shrines of a number of the Rasulid sultans. It is considered as one of the two most beautiful mosques in Taiz, along with Mudhaffar Mosque, and one of the most important centers in Islamic history of Yemen.

Description

The prayer room is located in the northern part of the compound. The main part of this mosque occupies a rectangular area from east to west for 25.40m and width from north to south for 7.65m. The central area of the prayer house is covered by a tall dome decorated with colorful motifs. The square of the dome is surrounded by two hallways, each covered with four small domes.

Madrasa

The madrasa of Ashrafieh was built with stone and plaster and was one of the most important centers of education of the Shafi'i Islamic school of thought. The school has a library with a number of books regarding variety of subjects. It has four entrances, and on top of the main entrance there's an inscription written as following:

Order of the building of this blessed school by our lord and king Sultan Al-Sayyid by the terms of the honorable king of the country and the religion Ismail bin Abbas bin Ali bin Dawud bin Yusuf God gave his kingdom and victory.

Perservation status

The mosque is facing degradation which caused by a number of factors, including seismic movements, geological instability, rainwater from the rooftop causing both physical and chemical damages, and anthropogenic degradation. Conservation effort took consolidation of walls and restoration of wall paintings.

See also

  • List of mosques in Yemen
Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
There are no tips nor hints for Ashrafiya Mosque yet. Maybe be you will be the first one to post useful information for fellow travellers? :)
3.1/10
11 people have been here
Map
Al-Mutabiyya Mosque, Taizz, Yemen Get directions

مسجد و مدرسة الأشرفية on Foursquare

Ashrafiya Mosque on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Djibouti Palace Kempinski Hotel

starting $353

Sheraton Djibouti

starting $233

Acacias Hotel Djibouti

starting $150

Alhan Algnob

starting $0

Amasi Aparthotels

starting $0

Al Eairy Apartments Jazan 1

starting $29

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cairo Castle

Cairo Castle or Al-Qahira Castle is a historical castle in the ancient

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Palace of Queen Arwa

The Palace of Queen Arwa, Arabic: قصر الملكة الحرة‎, was the residen

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Maṣna'at Māriya

Maṣna'at Māriya (14°30’N; 44°15’E), Dhamar Governorate, Yemen.

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Citadel of Rada'a

The Citadel of Rada'a (Arabic: قلعة رداع‎) is a historic castle

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Cisterns of Tawila

The Cisterns of Tawila, or the Tawila Tanks, are the best-known

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Sira Fortress

Sira Fortress is a military site in Aden, Yemen. The original

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Aljabowbi Castle

Aljabowbi Castle is a castle in the Hadda neighborhood of the southern

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Al Saleh Mosque

The Al Saleh Mosque (Arabic: جامع الصالح) is the largest and most mode

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Imam Husayn Shrine

The Shrine of Husayn ibn ‘Alī (Arabic: مقام الامام الحسين‎) is

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Imam Ali Mosque

The Imām ‘Alī Holy Shrine (العربية. حرم الإمام علي), also known as

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Sheikh Zayed Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الشيخ زايد) in Abu Dhabi is the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Masjid al-Qiblatayn

The Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Arabic: مسجد القبلتين‎, lit. 

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Üç Şerefeli Mosque

The Üç Şerefeli Mosque (Turkish: Üç Şerefeli Camii) is a 15th-

See all similar places