Consider the dome before you. It is a symbol of the 72 nations residing in Istanbul. Welcome to the Grand u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque. It is Turkey’s largest mosque. The u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque is a landmark Islamic complex. It stands on u00c7amlu0131ca Hill in u00dcsku00fcdar. The mosque is visible from much of Istanbul.
The Grand u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque opened on March 7, 2019. It can hold 63,000 worshippers. It can accommodate 100,000 people during an earthquake. The u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque includes an art gallery, library and conference hall.
Planning for the u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque started in 2000. Two female architects led the project. Their names are Bahar Mu0131zrak and Hayriye Gu00fcl Totu. Their design won second prize in a competition. The mosque cost $110 million.
President Recep Tayyip Erdou011fan inaugurated the u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque on May 3, 2019. Several international leaders attended the ceremony.
The u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque is the third mosque in Turkey with six minarets. The others are the Sultanahmet Mosque and the Sabancu0131 Merkez Mosque. In 2022, a metro stop was added to the M5 line for easier access to the u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque.
The mosque’s design was inspired by Classical Ottoman architecture. It also takes inspiration from the works of Mimar Sinan. Some say it was designed to rival Sinan’s Suleymaniye Mosque.
The main dome is 72 meters high. This symbolizes the 72 nations in Istanbul. The dome spans 34 meters. This represents the city of Istanbul itself. The main dome weighs 4.5 tons. The mosque’s gates are very large. The main gate is 5 meters long and 6.5 meters high. It weighs 6 tons. The finial of the u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque is the largest in the world. It was colored using nanotechnology.
The u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque has six minarets. They represent the six articles of Islamic faith. Four minarets are 107.1 meters high. This recognizes the Seljuk Victory at Manzikert in 1071. The other two minarets are 90 meters high. Four minarets surround the central dome. The other two are on the outer ends of the mosque.
The interior design is minimalist. Designers used light, color, glass and calligraphy. This makes people feel more spiritual.
The u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque complex includes a museum and underground parking. There is space for 3,500 vehicles. It also has an art gallery, library and conference hall. The art gallery covers 3,500 square meters. The library fills 3,000 square meters. The conference hall seats 1,071 people. The mosque features eight art workshops. A new Museum of Islamic Civilizations opened in April 2022.
Two female architects designed the u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque. They planned a female-friendly mosque. It includes separate spaces for women. There is a separate ablution space and a separate elevator. There is also a childcare facility. The women’s prayer space holds 600 worshippers. The architects wanted to encourage more women to visit mosques.
The first notable funeral at the mosque was for Kadir Mu0131su0131rou011flu on May 6, 2019. As a megaproject of the ruling AK Party the u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque attracted attention both positive and negative.
The u00c7amlu0131ca Mosque stands as a testament to modern Islamic architecture. It blends tradition with contemporary design. It offers a space for worship, learning and cultural exchange.