Qarawayyin Mosque, Fez, Morocco

Var 132.jpg
Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_al-Qarawiyyin#/media/File:Var_132.jpg
The Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin, near the Suq al-'Attarin, or Spice Market of Fez al-Bali, is one of the world's oldest universities, and the largest mosque in Africa. Founded as a private oratory in 857.
ii. Museum with No Frontiers http://www.discoverislamicart.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;ma;Mon01;1;en


Adapted from Archnet:  

The Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin,  is one of the world's oldest universities, and the largest mosque in Africa. It was founded as a place for private prayer in 857/242 AH by Fatima al-Fahri, who the daughter of a wealthy immigrant from Qarawan (Kairouan).  In the tenth century it was expanded to become the congregational mosque of the quarter of al-Qarawiyyin. The building is surrounded by madrasas, and became major intellectual center for a number of centuries.   Students traveled far to attend it and even non-Muslims attended its university.  In the mid 14th century, Ibn Khaldun, the great Muslim historian and scholar was forced to leave Tunis and was a student here briefly in his early 20s before he left for Andalusia.A popular tradition suggests that Gerbert of Auvergne (930-1003), who later became Pope Sylvester II, was once a student at al-Qarawiyyin.

Fez was directly linked to Islamic Spain or Al-Andalus.  After 1492/897 AH when Ferdinand and Isabel's expelled Muslims and Jews from the Iberian Peninsula many who fled as refugees brought Andalusian cultural influences to Fez.  

From Archnet:   "The mosque's hypostyle plan, the 10th century square stone minaret (commissioned and funded by 'Abd al-Rahman III, the first Umayyad caliph of al-Andalus), and by the carved stucco, wood, and glazed tile (zilij) ornamental style derived from the Alhambra. However, al-Qarawiyyin's T-shaped plan, created by an elevated central aisle perpendicular to an aisle fronting the qibla wall, belongs to North African mosque tradition. Stuccoed brick, with stone and tile revetment, and carved cedar wood are the primary materials used for the structure and ornament of the mosque proper. 

The Almoravid ruler, Sultan 'Ali ben Yusuf expanded the mosque to its present size between 1134 and 1143. The courtyard's blue and white tile floor, marble ablutions fountain, and the two fountain pavilions, which recall the Court of the Lions at the Alhambra, were added by the Sa'did Sultan 'Abdallah ibn al-Shaikh (r. 1606-1623/1014-1032 AH).: