The Great Mosque of Djenne: Songhai's Mud-Brick Masterpiece

Most people know Timbuktu, but Songhai's other great city, Djenne, holds a secret: the world's largest mud-brick building, the Great Mosque. This episode dives into the architectural genius behind that structure, the role of the Djenne people as traders and scholars, and how the mosque became a symbol of Islamic learning and power in the Sahel. We explore the unique technique of banco construction, the annual plastering festival (crépissage), and the mosque's connection to the Sankore Madrasa system. Lucas and Luna also discuss the tragic loss of the original mosque under Askia Ishaq II and its later reconstruction by the French, and what that means for cultural heritage today. #GreatMosqueOfDjenne #SonghaiEmpire #MudBrickArchitecture #Banco #Sahel #WestAfricanHistory #Djenne #SankoreMadrasa #AskiaIshaqII #Crepissage #IslamicArchitecture #UNESCO #Mali #NigerRiver #AhmedBaba #TarikhAlSudan #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo