Al-Ashrafiyyah Mosque

Taiz, Yemen

Coordinates: 13.569489, 44.011571

Nearby Places

• Mudhaffar Mosque 0.25 Km N (347°)
• Cairo Castle 0.36 Km SE (138°)
• Jabal saber 7.43 Km SE (144°)
• Al-Janad Mosque 20.11 Km NE (56°)

Madrasa and Mosque of Al-Ashrafiya or Ashrafiya Mosque is a historical madrasa-mosque in the old part of the city of Taiz, Yemen.

History

It is located at the foot of Mount Sabr in the southwestern part of the city in a neighbourhood 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 centres in the Islamic history of Yemen.

Architecture

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 colourful motifs.

Madrasa

The madrasa of Ashrafieh was built with stone and plaster. It was one of the most important centres of education of the Shafi’i Islamic school of thought. The school has a library with several books regarding a variety of subjects.

Preservation status

The mosque is facing degradation caused by several 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.

Attacks by Houthis

Houthi militias have shelled the Ashrafiya Mosque in Taiz using a Howitzer artillery further damaging the historical relic which they shelled twice before. Locals said Houthis were targeting a house near the mosque when they seriously damaged the latter’s minaret.

Citizens have called for saving this mosque and accused the Houthis of intentionally damaging the country’s historical ruins and of not respecting the mosque’s sanctity.