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Date: 1870 Type: Mosque Style: Vernacular Status: Extant Street: 43 Market Street

Declared a Provincial Heritage Resource on 27 March 2026. The mosque is regarded as one of the oldest places of worship in the Western Cape and is listed as the fourth-oldest mosque in the province, following the Auwal, Palm Tree and Nurul Islam mosques in Bo-Kaap. Built between 1850 and 1870 by freed slaves and free blacks, the Javia Mosque played a role in the development of Islam in the area, serving as a site for daily prayers, Friday congregations, religious festivals, and Quranic education. The site is also believed to have historical links to the legacy of Shaykh Yusuf, which contributes to its significance in early Cape Islamic history. The mosque survived the impact of forced removals under the Group Areas Act during apartheid and periods of neglect. Its architectural significance was as a rare surviving example of 19th-century clay brick construction. References: Fransen, Hans. 2004. The old buildings of the Cape. A survey of extant architecture from before c1910 in the area of Cape Town - Calvinia - Colesberg - Uitenhage. Johannesburg & Cape Town: Jonathan Ball Publishers. pg 253