Place · Merkato
Anwar MosqueAnwar Mesgid
Ethiopia's largest mosque, at the edge of Merkato: visit outside prayer times, dress modestly, and combine with a Merkato morning.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 30–45 min
- p95 60 min
- Price
- Free
- Hours
- 06:00–20:00
- typical, check
- Best time
- morning
- quietest window
- 28″ bags
- No
- Merkato: forbidden
- Getting there
- Car to the mosque gate, Merkato edge
- Ethiopia's largest mosque
- Avoid Friday midday prayers
- Modest dress required
- Go morning
- Free entry
- Shoes off inside
- Mostly indoors
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
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Map & directions
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Plan
What to know before you go, how long it takes, when to be there
Weather here, next 7 days
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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
20min
Worthwhile
30min
Typical
45min
p95
60min
Closed to visitors during the five daily prayer times and Friday midday prayers; ask locally for the current schedule.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Car to the mosque gate, Merkato edge
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- free · official site
- Stairs
- unknown
- Shoes
- Shoes off before entering the prayer hall.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Quiet outside prayer times; very busy at Friday midday prayers and during Eid.
- Sensory load
- 2/5
- Exposure
- low
Bailouts
heat
Nearest café (field-verify)
crowd
Return outside prayer times
Nearest rescue anchor: B — Café on the main street (field-verify)
Red lines
- Modest dress; women should cover hair and shoulders.
- Do not enter the prayer hall during active prayers unless you are joining them.
- Ask before photographing worshippers.
More on the groundPrices · Closures · Rules on site · Access and kids · Next door
Tickets and prices
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free; donations welcome | — |
Closed days and closures
| When | Status | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| During the five daily prayers | known | Visitors are not shown around during active prayer times. |
| Friday midday prayers | known | Very busy; avoid a sightseeing visit around midday on Fridays. |
“Check” means the date moves year to year or is not published far ahead: confirm on the official page for your date.
Rules on site
- dress
- Modest dress for all visitors; women should cover hair and shoulders with a scarf.
- photos
- Ask before photographing worshippers or inside the prayer hall.
- bags cameras
- Leave large bags at the entrance if asked.
Access and kids
- with kids
- Fine for children who can be quiet and follow the shoes-off, modest-dress rules; keep visits brief outside prayer times.
Next door, in walking order
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
Can non-Muslims visit?
Yes, respectfully and outside prayer times; modest dress and a headscarf for women are expected.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
- ClusterMerkato260 m · 4 min walk
- ClusterPiazza & Churchill Avenue660 m · 11 min walk
- PlaceSt George's Cathedral910 m · 15 min walk
- ClusterNational Museum & Holy Trinity2.1 km · 34 min walk
- PlaceHoly Trinity Cathedral2.3 km · 38 min walk
- ClusterMeskel Square & Kazanchisnearest point: Square benches3.2 km · 53 min walk
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Addis Ababa