Mosquée de Roissy-en-Brie

“Our mayor, our maman!” The enthusiastic cry rang out from a spectator as Sylvie Fuchs, the mayor of Roissy-en-Brie, passed by. It was June 5, 2010, a scorching hot day, and a crowd had gathered for the laying of the first stone of the Mosquée de Roissy-en-Brie. The air buzzed with anticipation as dignitaries and members of the Muslim community took turns placing bricks on the foundation. This symbolic act marked the start of a long-awaited dream: a dedicated space for prayer and community in Roissy-en-Brie. The Mosquée de Roissy-en-Brie was more than just bricks and mortar. It represented the culmination of years of effort by the Association Culturelle Musulmane de Roissy-en-Brie (ACMRB). The ACMRB had purchased two plots of land, one from the municipality and one private, to construct a two-level building spanning over 2,155 square meters. The mosque, designed to accommodate up to 1,500 people for prayer, aimed to serve not just Roissy-en-Brie but also the neighboring communities of Pontault-Combault and Emerainville. The second floor would house a library, conference room, and a seven-class school offering Arabic lessons and academic support for children, regardless of their religious background. The architectural design, featuring two 12-meter-high minarets framing the entrance and a 9.80-meter-diameter dome, aimed to blend harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.