Cologne Central Mosque, Cologne

The Cologne Central Mosque is a prominent building commissioned by the German Muslims of the Organization DİTİB for a large, representative central mosque in Cologne. The mosque was inaugurated by Turkish President Erdogan and is one of the largest mosques in Europe. The mosque is designed in neo-Ottoman architectural style, with glass walls, two minarets, and a dome.

The mosque is equipped with a bazaar and other secular areas intended for interfaith interactions. The building has been criticized by some for its height, particularly for the two minarets that stand at 55 meters high. However, the developers insisted that the design of the building should remain intact and dropped the plan to build shorter minarets, which would have left them out of proportion with the rest of the building and surrounding structures.

The mosque is arranged in such a way that the ground floor has the bazaar and entrance, while the basement houses lecture halls. The prayer area is on the upper floor, and there is a Muslim library. A well is placed in the center to connect the two levels and create a pleasant atmosphere.

The mosque's glass walls, according to DİTİB spokesman Alboga, create a feeling of openness, which is further enhanced by the inviting staircase from the street. The secular areas of the mosque, such as the restaurant, event halls, and stores, are open to people of all religions, as required by the developers.