Ivory Coast’s Mud Mosques: A Seven-Century Islamic Heritage in West Africa

Ivory Coast’s Mud Mosques: A Seven-Century Islamic Heritage in West Africa
———————————————
In 2021, UNESCO inscribed a group of mud mosques in northern Ivory Coast on its World Heritage List, recognizing them as outstanding examples of Sudanese-style Islamic architecture, Shia Waves Persian reported. Located in towns such as Samatiguila, Kouto, Tengréla, Kaouara, Sorobango, Nambira, and Kong, these mosques reflect a tradition that originated in the Mali Empire between the 12th and 14th centuries.

While the standing structures mostly date from the 17th to 19th centuries, their design embodies an architectural legacy stretching back more than seven centuries. Built from sun-dried mud brick and clay (banco), the mosques are notable for their thick walls, prominent buttresses, and protruding wooden beams (toron), which provide both structural reinforcement and scaffolding for regular replastering.

Some mosques are adorned with clay finials or ostrich eggs atop the buttresses, lending a ceremonial and symbolic character. The Samatiguila Mosque is considered among the oldest in the country, though research places its construction in the 18th century. The Kouto Mosque is recognized for its distinctive pyramidal minarets, while Kong’s Great Mosque—rebuilt in the early 20th century—stands on the foundations of one of the region’s historic Islamic centers.

Researchers note that these mosques not only mark the spread of Islam and trade networks across the Sahara but also illustrate the cultural blending of the Senufo and Malinke peoples. For this reason, UNESCO registered them as an exceptional example of cultural exchange and indigenous African Islamic architecture.