Why French officials placed a Muslim war memorial in the intellectual heart of Paris in the 20th century

The Grand Mosque of Paris is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. LPLT via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-SA The Paris Grand Mosque, an iconic cultural landmark located in the heart of the city, is celebrating its centenary. Built as a war memorial to honor Muslim soldiers killed during World War I, it was the first permanent mosque in the French capital and remains its only mosque built with a minaret and a dome. The story behind its construction reflects the politics of colonialism…