| Al-Omari Grand Mosque | |
| Native Name: | ar|المسجد العمري الكبير |
| Image Upright: | 1.4 |
| Map Type: | Lebanon Beirut |
| Map Size: | 250 |
| Map Relief: | yes |
| Coordinates: | 33.8976°N 35.5052°W |
| Religious Affiliation: | Sunni Islam |
| Location: | Central District, Beirut |
| Country: | Lebanon |
| Festivals: | --> |
| Functional Status: | Active |
| Architect: | Youssef Haidar |
| Groundbreaking: | 1113 |
| Date Destroyed: | --> |
| Dome Quantity: | Three |
| Minaret Quantity: | Two |
| Elevation Ft: | --> |
The Al-Omari Grand Mosque (ar|المسجد العمري الكبير), known as Jami' Al-Kabir, is a Sunni Islam mosque, located in the central district of Beirut, in Lebanon.
The building has been a place of worship including its original use as a Roman temple, and subsequently as a Roman church, before Beirut was conquered by Mamluk Egypt and it was converted into a mosque.
The Al-Omari Grand Mosque was originally a Roman temple, dedicated to the god Jupiter. The Ancient Roman influence is visible in some of the architectural elements, including the building's columns and foundations.[1]
During the Byzantine era, the building was made into a Roman basilica that featured intricate mosaics and architectural elements of the Byzantine style.[1] In the 7th century CE, the basilica was converted into a mosque.[1] During the Crusader occupation of Beirut, in the 12th century, the mosque was converted into the Church of Saint John.[1] Similar Romanesque churches with triple apses were built in Tyre and Tartus, using recuperated material such as Roman columns and capitals.[2]
In 1291, in the Ottoman era, the Mamluks captured Beirut, and under Islamic conquest the church was again converted into a mosque. It was renamed Al-Omari Mosque after the second caliph, and became known as "Jami' Al-Kabir", or the Great Mosque. Its Mamluk-style entrance and domes and minarets were added in 1350, reflecting traces of the former church's Byzantine style.[1] [3]
Badly damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, the mosque's refurbishment was completed in 2004,[1] under the direction of Youssef Haidar.[4]