Pause
  • Dr. Baltazar Rebelo de Sousa and the liders of the Jamat at the Opening Ceremony - 30th November 1968
    11 April 2020 | Mozambique

    Edificio Sua Alteza Aga Khan

    Dr. Baltazar Rebelo de Sousa and the liders of the Jamat at the Opening Ceremony - 30th November 1968 Photo: Fotolusitana
  • Old Jamatkhana Maputo
    11 April 2020 | Mozambique

    Edificio Sua Alteza Aga Khan

    The Jamatkhana in Lourenço Marques (Maputo) circa 1941, was described by Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah as the best in Africa. Source: “The Aga Khan and Africa” (Diamond Jubilee souvenir, 1946?) Photo: Vasconcelos

Timeless in its design and beauty, the Jamatkhana* testifies to the long history of the Ismaili Muslim community in Mozambique.

At the heart of Maputo, capital of Mozambique, stands a building that testifies to the long history of the Ismaili Muslim community in the region – the first Maputo Jamatkhana was inaugurated in 1941 by João Tristão de Bettencourt, then Governor General of Mozambique, who gave it the name Edificio Sua Alteza Aga Khan.

By the early 1960s, the Jamat had grown substantially necessitating the construction of a larger center comprehending spaces for worship and reflection, socio cultural activities, sports facilities and religious formation. The new project team included the renowned architect and engineers, Francisco F. Saldanha; Carlos Doria Nobrega and Morgado; and the master craftsman Joaquim da Silva Duarte. The extension was completed and was inaugurated in 1968 by the new Governor General, Dr. Baltazar Rebello de Sousa.

The structure is timeless in its design and a reminder of the Jamat's rich heritage in this unique African country.

For more information please contact us [email protected] 

*Ismaili Community's place of worship and social cultural activities