Kocatepe Mosque

The first steps towards the construction of Kocatepe Mosque, the largest mosque built during the Republic period in Ankara, were taken in 1944. With the directive of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, it was decided to build a mosque and Diyanet site in Kocatepe in 1957. The foundation of the Religious Affairs building, which was laid within the scope of the first project, was completed in 1964. Following the second project competition in 1967, the foundation of the mosque was laid in the same year, and two years later the lower floor was opened for worship. The construction was transferred to the Turkish Religious Foundation in 1981 and opened for worship in 1986 by the then Prime Minister Turgut Özal.

This mosque, which was born from the combination of 16th century aesthetics of the Ottoman period and 20th century technology, reminds us of Selimiye with its four minarets, and reminds us of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque with its center and half domes.

The mosque, which has a total congregation capacity of 20 thousand people, was built with a modern architectural approach according to the classical style, with its courtyard and side sections such as modern conference halls, parking lot, supermarket, administrative offices, gas houses and public fountains. Today, Kocatepe Mosque is among the symbols of the capital Ankara.