Hassan II Mosque

Completed in 1993 after seven years of construction, Hassan II Mosque is an engineering marvel. Its 210-meter minaret — the world's tallest — fires a laser beam visible 30 kilometers out to sea, pointing toward Mecca. The retractable roof over the prayer hall opens to the sky in three minutes. Built on a promontory jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, fulfilling King Hassan II's vision that "the throne of God shall be built on water." The interior holds 25,000 worshippers, with space for 80,000 more in the esplanade. Designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, it employed 6,000 master craftsmen working traditional techniques at industrial scale.