Established at the heart of the Jussieu District, in the 5th arrondissement of Paris lies the fascinating multidimensional Great Mosque of Paris: a space dedicated to prayer; to research - with a center for Islamic Studies; to the development of cultural and scientific activities with the help of the Great Mosque’s High Council for Science and Culture; and to its cultural influence and reach with a Maroccan inspired restaurant and unique hammam facility for women only.

The idea of building a Muslim, Religious and Cultural Institute in Paris was first introduced in 1849 by the Sultan Abdul Hamid, one of the last Ottoman Sultans. After a long and arduous task, the French government agreed on the project to grant Paris with a Muslim Institute with a global reach.

The Muslim Institute of the Paris Mosque was built between 1922 and 1926, after the First World War, when thousands of Muslims died for France. When the war came to an end, the construction of the Muslim Institute was a matter of course and a way to symbolise the French-Muslim friendship and stand as an everlasting testimony to the sacrifice of Muslims during the war and particularly during the victorious Verdun battle where countless Muslim soldiers and heroes fell to the ground.

The Great Mosque’s incredible fountain courtyard and patio, with its white marble floors, cascading fountains, hand-carved cedar wood doors and chiseled floral motifs inspired LWJ’s latest “Damask Rowse” jewellery curation, which you can discover here: