Chinese firm to complete world's third largest mosque in Algeria

sketch showing the design of the new Great Mosque in Algeria's capital Algiers.

A Chinese construction giant will complete the world's third largest mosque in Algeria at the end of December, the housing department of the Algerian government said recently.

According to Agencia EFE, the Algerian housing department said that 85 percent of the construction work of the new Great Mosque in Algeria's capital Algiers had been finished by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). The service life of the new Great Mosque could last for 400 to 500 years, the Algerian housing department added.

When complete, the new Great Mosque will become Africa's largest mosque, and the world's third largest mosque after those in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

The mosque, built at a cost of 1.3 billion US dollars will cover 400,000 square meters and will have the world's highest minaret soaring 270 meters into the sky. The maximum capacity of the mosque will be 120,000 people; it will also feature a library containing one million works and seating for 2,000; as well as a museum and a research center.