Exterior of the (then) Roman Catholic St. Willibrordus Church. / Ph. (Frans Busselman, City Archives) ‹ › Amsterdam's first Moroccan mosque was established in the basement of a church in the De Pijp neighborhood, opening in September 1974, according to local culture and leisure platform that covers exhibitions, events, and background stories in the city Vrije Tijd Amsterdam. The initiative was led by Mohamed Echarrouti, a Moroccan guest worker who arrived in the Netherlands in 1971 and mobilized the local community to create a dedicated prayer space. In its early days, communal prayers were initially held in private homes. With the support of Amsterdam residents and the local church pastor, the church basement was made available and quickly became a center for both worship and social activities. Known as Al Kabir, the mosque later relocated to another neighborhood of the city in 1982. Echarrouti, who passed away in 2022, is remembered as a bridge-builder who brought together Amsterdammers of different faiths. His story is featured as part of the Amsterdam 750 anniversary series celebrating the city's history, with the story of Amsterdam's first mosque ranked second among the 750 stories dedicated to the capital's past. The initiative invites the public to read, watch, listen, and walk their way through Amsterdam's history.
