Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Sunday unveiled a massive mosque on its Mediterranean coastline following years of political turmoil that delayed its completion.
The mosque known as the the Great Mosque of Algiers’ was constructed by a Chinese construction company over the course of the 2010s.
The mosque is said to feature the tallest minaret globally, standing at 265 metres (869ft).
It is reported to be the third-largest mosque globally, the largest in Africa, and the biggest outside Islam’s holiest cities, with a prayer room that can hold 120,000 people.
It also features a helicopter landing pad and a library capable of accommodating up to one million books.
In addition to its massive size, the mosque gained attention for the numerous delays and disputes that marked its seven-year construction period, particularly the selection of a site that experts cautioned was prone to seismic activity.
The official cost of the project amounted to $898m.
