Al Ouaisiya Mosque
A broad dome, among the largest in Tripoli, distinguishes Al Ouaisiya Mosque. The building began as a small Mamluk zawiya, a place associated with religious and Sufi activity, before being converted into a mosque during the Ottoman period. A minaret in the characteristic Ottoman style was added during this later development.
The mosque also grew through an exchange of property between the Muslim and Christian communities. Land occupied by an adjoining church was incorporated into the mosque, while a soap-factory property in the Tarbiya area became the site associated with Saint Nicholas Church.
Al Ouaisiya takes its name from the Sufi sheikh Ouais Al Roumi. It stands on the western bank of the Abu Ali River, in the fish-market area.
