The king of Morocco at the time, Hassan 2, first mentioned this mosque in 1980, declaring that he would build it on the water, because the throne of God is on the water.
The mosque was inaugurated on August 30, 1993. It was designed by the French architect, Michel Pinseau, and has the tallest minaret in the world, with its 200 metres. There is room for 20,000 worshippers inside the mosque at the same time, and the courtyard gives space for another 80,000.