Jummah Mosque

The Jummah Mosque stands on Royal Street in the middle of Port Louis, built in stages from the 1850s by the Muslim merchant community and completed in its present form by the 1880s, and its architecture mixes traditions the way the city does: Indian Mughal-influenced arches and carved wooden doors, Creole ironwork and shutters, and a whitewashed facade with a green-trimmed gateway that stands out sharply among the shops around it. Inside is a courtyard with a fountain and an almond tree, quiet in a way the street outside is not. It remains the main mosque of the capital and is busy at Friday prayers. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times, with the usual expectations of dress and behaviour.

What you actually see

• The carved facade - the white and green frontage on Royal Street.
• The courtyard - the fountain and almond tree inside the walls.
• Mixed detailing - Mughal arches with Creole shutters and ironwork.
• The wooden doors - the carved entrance panels facing the street.

When to go

May to December for cooler city weather. Visiting is possible outside prayer times on weekdays; the mosque is closed to visitors on Fridays and during Ramadan hours vary. Mornings are quietest.

Honest expectations

This is a working mosque with restricted visiting hours, and access to the prayer hall may not be given. Modest dress is required and shoes are removed. The surrounding streets are congested and parking is difficult. Photography inside may be limited.

Nearby

Chinatown is immediately north; the central market is a short walk.