It is missing 2 million euros to complete the last third of the work of the Great Mosque of Tours, begun from 2008. Difficult to gather the financing, which comes mainly from the faithful.
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On Google Maps, when we observe the city of Tours, two mosques are reported: the first by a blue croissant, rue Lobin, next to the cross that indicates the cathedral; And, further south of the city, with a red croissant, the big mosque, at the edges of the Cher. It is indicated that the establishment is closed temporarily. For Salah Merabti, the President of the Islamic Community of Indre-et-Loire (CIIL), the temporary hard for far too long.
A few days after the start of Ramadan, the man over 70 years old does not even hope to hope for next inauguration, because it has been so often postponed … “We initiated this construction project under the Mayor mandat Jean Germain, in 1995. The work could only be started in 2008, and today there is 2 million euros to bring together to complete the site. “
When he goes every day on the site, the one who is the project owner of the project alongside the Paris mosque (which oversees the CIIL) contemplates from below the immense cupola which faces to more than 20 meters high the large white concrete shell. Without him, nothing would have been possible: it was his obstinacy that allowed the construction to advance to small steps. Still the last third to complete …
Promises of unwanted donations
Three levels, 1,000 square meters, a star-shaped ablution basin, large openings to be glazed, a large door whose finishes will be colorful of Zelliges from Morocco, the future Tours Mosque detonates in This rather sad environment. It is here, in the district of Menneton, on former workers’ gardens cashed between a railway and the disused factories that were decided in 1995, under the impulse of the mayor of Tours and with the agreement of the Islamic community of Indre-et-Loire, the installation of the future large mosque of the city, able to accommodate nearly 3,000 faithful.
The land, which was to be given to the Muslim community, was finally sold for 73,000 euros in 2005, following an action started before the administrative court in 2001 by the secular association of free thought . “We had to modify the project: the land is located in the flood zone, so it was necessary to make big work of earthworks and strengthening the foundations”, tells the architect Ben Laribi.
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