The Norman-style Mogadishu Cathedral

Between 1923 and 1928, the Mogadishu Cathedral was constructed by Italian authorities in the former Italian Somaliland. Designed by architect Antonio Vandone, the building used a Norman style based on the Cathedral of Cefalù in Sicily. The monument deliberately referenced the eleventh-century Norman conquest of Sicily from Islamic rule and capitalized on portrayals of the Normans as tolerant rulers of their Muslim subjects.

The cathedral served as the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mogadiscio between 1928 and 1991. It was the largest cathedral in eastern Africa and was built by order of the governor of Italian Somaliland, who promoted the Christianization of Somali people. The Consolata missionaries oversaw its construction and maintained the cathedral until they were replaced by the Franciscans.

In 1989, on the eve of the civil war, the last Bishop of Mogadishu, Salvatore Colombo, was killed by armed insurgents while celebrating Mass in the cathedral. In late 2008, much of the cathedral was destroyed by al-Shabaab. While the roof was blown off, the walls and elegant stone arches remained erect in a state of serenity.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons