How can one describe the sheer architectural presence of the Kocatepe Mosque? It stands as Ankara’s largest mosque. Its prominent location makes it visible from nearly any point in central Ankara.
The Kocatepe Mosque’s story began in the 1940s. On December 8 1944 Ahmet Hamdi Akseki and seventy-two others formed a society. It was called the Society to Build a Mosque in Yenişehir Ankara. This society sought architectural designs in 1947. None were accepted.
In 1956 Prime Minister Adnan Menderes allocated land for the mosque. Another request for designs occurred in 1957. Vedat Dalokay and Nejat Tekelioğlu’s joint project was chosen from thirty-six entries.
The accepted design was modern and innovative. Construction began but conservatives heavily criticized its look. The project halted at the foundation level. Vedat Dalokay later adapted his design. He won an international competition for the Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad Pakistan in 1969. That mosque accommodates 24000 worshippers. Many consider it a frontier of modern Islamic architecture.
A third competition took place in 1967. Hüsrev Tayla and M. Fatin Uluengin’s more conservative design won. Construction finished in 1987. The design reflects a neo-classical Ottoman style. The architects drew inspiration from the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne. They also looked at the Shehzade and Sultan Ahmet mosques in Istanbul. These mosques were influenced by the Hagia Sophia’s Eastern Roman architecture.
The Kocatepe Mosque has four minarets. Each minaret reaches a height of 88 meters. The mosque’s length is 67 meters and its width is 64 meters. It can accommodate 24000 worshippers. The mosque has become a landmark.