Noor-al-Islam Mosque

The Noor-al-Islam mosque

The Saint-Denis audio-guided tour brings you before the Noor-al-Islam mosque, the first mosque in France, inaugurated in 1905. An emblematic place of worship of the island's cultural mixing, it is discovered with respect, in the calm due to an active religious building.

The first mosque in France

Inaugurated in 1905, twenty-one years before the Great Mosque of Paris, the Noor-al-Islam mosque was the initiative of six Muslim merchants from Gujarat, a region of western India. These cloth merchants had settled in Reunion, drawn by a new market. Along with Mayotte, the island is one of the only French departments where the call to prayer is allowed beyond the walls of mosques, a sign of a long tradition of coexistence.

What there is to see

Rebuilt after the fire of 1974, the mosque is of Indian inspiration, with mainly white and green decoration and a fine minaret thirty-two metres high. It opens its doors to visitors at certain times of the day, outside prayer times. Its decoration and architecture are discovered with respect, in the silence due to a place of worship.

Practical information

The Noor-al-Islam mosque is on Rue du Marechal Leclerc, in the centre of Saint-Denis. It welcomes visitors at certain times, outside prayers; these hours may vary. An active place of worship, it requires modest and respectful dress, the removal of shoes and a silent attitude.

Why is the Noor-al-Islam mosque important ?

Inaugurated in 1905, it is the first mosque in France, founded by Muslim merchants from Gujarat.

Can the mosque be visited ?

It welcomes visitors at certain times, outside prayer times; respectful dress and the removal of shoes are required.