The Jami Gurgi Mosque, completed in 1834, is a sumptuous monument located in the old town of Tripoli as part of the complex of ancient and monumental buildings in the old city. It is situated in the Bab al-Bahr district, immediately beside the Mediterranean Sea’s coasts just nearby to the Roman Arch of Marcus Aurelius. Considered one of the oldest mosques in the Libyan capital, the mosque was established by the naval captain Mustapha Gurgi who happened to be the sonin- law of the governor of Tripoli of the time, Pasha Yusuf Karamanli. The Ottoman ruler whose reign extended from 1795 to 1832 The name “Gurgi” literally means “from Georgia”.
At the entrance of the mosque to the right, lies the antechamber which encloses the tombs of Gurgi and his family.
The building of the mosque was clearly influenced by European architecture, such as the use of inlaid marble and the types of tiles that cover its walls from the outsid and the inside.
The minaret of the mosque reaches a height of 25 meters and is distinguished by its artistic architectural character, from a green silo and green marble prominent across its two balconies.
The historic monument mixes European and Islamic geometrics in a way that blends architectural styles from several civilizations into one monumental statement art.
The mosque lies on a square plot of land. The first facade faces the Arch of Marcus Aurelius and the second one looks over the Avenue of El Akach.
The prayer house in the mosque has three main arched doors decorated with marble and carvings in the form of roses. The Jami Gurgi Mosque is a remarkable historic monument.
