Fodor's Expert Review El-Mahmoudiye Mosque

Tucked behind the shops along Jaffa's Clock Tower Square is the El-Mahmoudiye Mosque, whose hexagonal minaret and pink-granite-and-marble fountain can be seen from the square. When Turkish governor Muhammed Abu Najat Aja built the fountain in the early 19th century, it had six pillars and an arched roof. The fountain's foundation is still visible in the parking lot west of the minaret. The mosque is closed to the public, though you may be able to sneak a peek through the ornate carved doors on the western side into the spacious restored courtyard. The archway on the south side formed the entrance to the hammam, or old Turkish bath.