The idea to construct a great mosque on aspur of the Corniche arrived to the mind of King Hassan II , around the half of the 80's: " I want a building which will be the symbol of Africa, like the Freedom statue represents the United States ". The temple was born as pledge of faith in the Islam: it aimed to create a great religious situation in the most lay city among the Moroccan cities, to increase the national pride; it aimed to defend Morocco against the western culture consequently arriving with the economical process of Morocco and with the fast tourist development. The French Michel Pineau planned and designed a colossal temple destined to be, because of its dimensions, the second Mussulman temple of the world, after the mosque of the Mecca. The cost was over a thousand billion Liras, and it was supported, in the greatest part, by a national subscription, just to point out the religious fervour caused by the new mosque. 10000 persons, 3000 of which always present at the yard, were involved for the construction. There were: master builders, builders, craftsmen, carvers, stone-cutters and plasterers from every part of Morocco: a merit certificate was given to all of them.

The materials arrived from the several regions of the Country to symbolise the unifying force of the plan: the wood of cedar from the Medium Atlas, marbles from Agadir (but also from Carrara), the granite from Tafraoute, the zellij, small glazed ceramic tiles, from Fès. The big chandeliers were commissioned in Murano. The colossus was unveiled on 1993. Its figures are dizzy: the hall, suspended on enormous stilt houses and surmounted by an opening ceiling, can receive 25.000 faithful people; before, the large square contains nearly 100000 persons; the squared minareto reach the 172 meters height and on its top a laser indicates the Mecca. In the complex, 90000 sq. metres, there is also a medersa, a Koranic school, rooms of ablutions for women and men and a great underground garage. Guided visits are previewed at 9\ 10\ 11\ 14 with explanation in French, English and Spanish.