Discover Hurghada's great mosque: El Mina

Every Muslim city in the Middle East has its "Great Mosque". Just like the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, or the Great Mosque of Algiers in Algeria, the Egyptian city of Hurghada is proud of its central religious building. The Al Mina Mosque is the city's largest mosque. It faces the Red Sea, right in the heart of the seaside resort.

Built in 2012, the mosque, whose full name is Al Mina Masjid, or El Mina, covers 8,000 square metres and was originally built in Hurghada in 1968.

In 2006, the Egyptian government decided to build a larger mosque to accommodate all the city's worshippers. The work was completed 6 years later. Unfortunately, the white marble domes are not big enough for everyone. On the holy day of Islam, Friday, the faithful do not hesitate to pray under the outdoor pergola because of the lack of space. At a cost of more than 20 million euros, it is one of the largest and most beautiful mosques on the Red Sea coast.

Like most mosques, El Mina is made up of domes and minarets. The minarets are tall towers that rise above the rest of the structure. They are reserved for the muezzin, the member of the mosque who issues the call to prayer from the tower 5 times a day. The Al Mina mosque has 20 domes and 2 minarets, the latter rising to a height of 40 metres. Built of marble, the mosque is delicately decorated with traditional ornaments, both inside and out.

You should always be aware of the restrictions that apply to religious buildings in unfamiliar countries.

Some mosques are completely free to visit, while others are forbidden to non-religious people, for example. Some mosques are for men only, while others allow women only at certain times and in certain areas.

The Al Mina mosque is a mixed mosque, where Muslim men and women can visit freely. Non-religious visitors can visit the mosque from the outside. From the large square in front of the mosque, you can admire the curved architecture and the detailed ornamentation carved into the stone.

To visit the interior, you need to go to the El Mina mosque between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. to get a glimpse of the mosaics and paintings in the prayer rooms. If you're one of the curious, like us, who absolutely want to know what's hidden behind the marble walls of the mosque, meet up at 8 p.m. in front of the gendarme guarding the entrance.

There are guided tours organised by the city of Hurghada. The tours generally last 3 hours and are very interesting for learning about the history of the El Mina mosque. You can choose group or private tours, depending on your budget and preferences. Find out more about private tours or group tours. Some tours include various stops in the old town of Hurghada.

There is a strict dress code for visiting the mosque in Hurghada. For men, long trousers are compulsory. For women, it is very important to cover your hair, shoulders, arms and wrists. Although women are not obliged to wear long trousers, it is imperative to cover up to at least your knees. However, we recommend that you cover up to your ankles, just in case... In any case, everyone must remove their shoes to visit the mosque, and there is a large mat at the entrance to El Mina where you can leave your shoes.

For visitors who have not brought appropriate clothing, you can borrow "izdal" from the mosque. The izdal stands, also known as abayas, are located to the left of the entrance to El Mina.