“Largest mosque in Ankara,” they call it. That’s what you hear about the Kocatepe Mosque first. But there is so much more to this imposing structure than just size.
Kocatepe Mosque. Its story starts long before its physical presence. The idea sparked in the 1940s. A society formed in 1944 with a vision. They wanted to build a mosque in Yenişehir Ankara.
Initially, none of the submitted architectural designs were accepted. It was not until 1956 that Prime Minister Adnan Menderes stepped in. Land was allocated. A new request for designs went out in 1957.
Vedat Dalokay and Nejat Tekelioğlu won. Their project was innovative and modern. However, construction halted. Conservatives heavily criticized its modernist look.
Interestingly, Vedat Dalokay later used a modified version of his design. He won an international competition for the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. That mosque became one of the largest worldwide. Many consider it a frontier of modern Islamic architecture.
But back to Ankara and the Kocatepe Mosque. A third competition took place in 1967. Hüsrev Tayla and M. Fatin Uluengin won this time. Their design was more conservative. Construction finally finished in 1987.
The Kocatepe Mosque showcases a neo-classical Ottoman style. It draws inspiration from the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. It also reflects the Shehzade and Sultan Ahmet mosques in Istanbul. Those mosques, in turn, were influenced by the Hagia Sophia’s Eastern Roman architecture.
The mosque can accommodate 24000 worshippers. This makes it one of the main mosques in Ankara. The mosque has four minarets. Each minaret is 88 meters high. These towers are visible from almost anywhere in central Ankara.
Inside, you would be met with stained-glass windows. Marble and gold leaf decorates the interior. A massive crystal chandelier hangs inside. A model of the Mescid-I Nebevi mosque in Medina is also on display.
Also interesting is that a shopping store exists within the basement.
Many local businesses have benefited from the Kocatepe Mosque. Cafes, restaurants, and bookshops have sprung up around it. Over time, it became an icon of Ankara. It stands alongside Anıtkabir.