“Inspired by Istanbul’s historic mosques” rings in my ears as I stand before Külür Camii. This grand structure officially named Kuzey Ankara Merkez Camii ve Külliyesi is a relatively new landmark in Ankara. Its foundation was laid six years prior. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan himself attended its opening ceremony.
Kültür Camii serves as both a place of worship and a hub for life and culture. It is located in Kuzeykent on the Esenboğa Airport road. The mosque and complex cover an area of 125.000 square meters. The enclosed space is about 110.000 square meters.
Inspired by Turkish-Islamic architecture, Kültür Camii is set to become one of Ankara’s symbolic places. It is the third-largest place of worship in Ankara. This is measured by enclosed area after Kocatepe and Melike Hatun mosques. The lower level of this two-story mosque is covered in tiles.
Its dome reaches a height of 35 meters and has a diameter of 16 meters. Kültür Camii features four minarets. Two have one balcony at 46 meters. Two others have three balconies rising to 64 meters. Within the complex are two rows of shops. These arcades cover nearly 1400 square meters and house 50 shops.
The Kültür Camii complex also includes Turkish baths for men and women. There is a soup kitchen where food will be prepared with donations. This food is distributed to the poor. A two-story covered bazaar with around 60 shops exists for traditional crafts. These crafts can be made and displayed here.
A library with 7000 religious books is also available. It opens after the Kültür Camii and complex’s opening. The complex also has a hasbahçe overlooking the valley. This is where Kuzeykent is located. There are tea and coffee shops and Ottoman-Turkish cuisine sections. An ornamental pool and many areas for relaxation enhance the space.
The Kültür Camii facilitates movement between floors. It provides elevators and escalators. A five-story indoor car park has space for 1200 vehicles. When all areas are open for worship 15.000 people can pray at once. These areas include indoor semi-open and open spaces.
A 5000-person congress center is within the Kültür Camii complex. It is designed for international seminars conferences and meetings. This center can host the most participants in a single hall in Turkey. The complex features a viewing tower inspired by Iraq’s Samarra Mosque minaret. The Kültür Camii blends faith culture and community. It stands as a testament to Ankara’s vibrant spirit.