Bab Berdieyinne Mosque

The Bab Berdieyinne Mosque is a religious building in the historical city center of Meknes, Morocco, constructed in the 18th century. On 19 February 2010, its minaret collapsed during Friday prayers, causing at least 41 fatalities and many injuries. The area had received heavy rain over the preceding days. The collapse of buildings in the older parts of Morocco's cities is fairly common but the collapse of minarets is rare.King Mohammed VI ordered the minaret be rebuilt according to historical specifications, and has ordered that all old mosques be appraised for structural stability. The reconstruction of the minaret is to be "to its original form". The 18th-century mosque was built on the orders of Morocco's first female minister, Khnata bent Bakkar, and was constructed of rammed earth. The minaret itself was said to be four centuries old and Meknes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The collapse is the worst of its kind to have happened in Morocco. There was public criticism in Morocco for the apparent lack of maintenance at the mosque.CollapseOn 19 February 2010 a minaret collapsed at the Bab Berdieyinne mosque. The collapse followed several days of heavy rain which has been blamed for weakening the minaret, which was made of rammed earth. Of the 300 worshipers inside 41 were killed and 75 were injured; others were buried beneath the rubble. Rescue attempts were hindered by narrow access routes to the mosque and the potential for other walls collapsing.