Al-ATTAR Mosque

The so-called “Perfumers mosque”, the al-Attar, was built in the middle of the fourteenth century in the bustling souk area. Here medieval pharmacists prepared astringents and medical concoctions from extracts of herbs and flowers. The mosque has an elaborate portal with an intricate marble mosaic design of entwined arrows and thunderbolts. A one line inscription states that the doorway and ,minbar (pulpit) are the work of Mohammad, son of Ibrahirn, the architect and was completed in the year 1350 (A.H.751).Al-Attar’s minaret is one of the finest specimens found in Manluk Tripoli. It is a plain square tower with a plain molding. Arrow slits and rosette apertures light the snail-like staircase within. A protruding cornice decorated with stalactites is supported at the four corners by Crusader colonnettes with Arab stalactite capitals. The balcony rests on the dornice and has a set of double arch windows, each with its central colonnette and carved stone screens on all four sides .Outside the west portal in back of the mosque is a picturesque vaulted alley dating from Crusader times.A decree was inscribed on the main portal of the mosque in the year 1418 (A.H.821) by order of Mamluk Sultan al-Muayyad Shaikh abolishing taxes imposed unfairly on the perfumers of Tripoli who were established on property belonging to the mosque. The decree furthermore forbids sale by auction another malpractices which were to the disadvantage of the perfumers.