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Coordinates: 41°19′32″N 19°49′27″E / 41.32556°N 19.82417°E / 41.32556; 19.82417
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{{Short description|Mosque under construction in Tirana City, Tirana County, Albania}}
{{Short description|Largest mosque in the Balkans, located in Tirana, Albania}}
{{Infobox religious building
'''The Namazgah Mosque''' (''[[Albanian language|Albanian:]] Xhamia e Namazgjasë; English: Mosque of Prayer'') or '''the Great Mosque of Tirana''' (''[[Albanian language|Albanian:]] Xhamia e Madhe e Tiranës''), is the largest mosque in the Balkans, located in [[Tirana|Tirana,]] [[Albania]]. It officially opened on October 10, 2024, with a ceremony attended by Turkish President [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] and Albanian Prime Minister [[Edi Rama]]. During the event, held in the mosque’s garden, both leaders delivered speeches to mark the occasion. {{Infobox religious building
| name = Namazgah mosque of Tirana
| name = Namazgah mosque of Tirana
| native_name = Xhamia e Namazgjase
| native_name = Xhamia e Namazgjase
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| festival =
| festival =
| organisational_status =
| organisational_status =
| ownership = Albanian Muslim Community<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-10 |title= Hapja e "Namazgjasë"/ Kryemyftiu Bilal Teqja për ABC News: Ja si do menaxhohet xhamia |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAoamqJVOoM |access-date=2024-10-11 |website= YouTube |language= Albanian}}</ref>
| ownership = The Turkish government
| governing_body =
| governing_body =
| leadership =
| leadership =
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| architect =
| architect =
| architecture_type = Sunni mosque
| architecture_type = Sunni mosque
| architecture_style = Classic Turkish Style(Ottoman)
| architecture_style = Classical Ottoman Style
| founded_by =
| founded_by =
| creator =
| creator =
| funded_by =
| funded_by = [[Presidency of Religious Affairs]], Turkey
| general_contractor =
| general_contractor =
| established =
| established =
| groundbreaking =
| groundbreaking = 2015
| year_completed = 2024
| year_completed = {{Start date and age|2024|10|10}}
| construction_cost =
| construction_cost = 30 million [[euro]]s
| date_demolished =
| date_demolished =
| facade_direction =
| facade_direction =
| capacity = 5000 people inside
| capacity = 8000 people inside, 2000 outside; 10,000 total
| length =
| length =
| width =
| width =
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| height_max =
| height_max =
| dome_quantity =
| dome_quantity =
| dome_height_outer =
| dome_height_outer = 30 meters
| dome_height_inner =
| dome_height_inner =
| dome_dia_outer =
| dome_dia_outer =
| dome_dia_inner =
| dome_dia_inner =
| minaret_quantity =
| minaret_quantity = 4
| minaret_height =
| minaret_height = 50 meters
| spire_quantity =
| spire_quantity =
| spire_height =
| spire_height =
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| footnotes =
| footnotes =
}}
}}
The '''Namazgah Mosque''' (''[[Albanian language|Albanian:]] Xhamia e Namazgjasë; English: Mosque of Prayer'') or '''the Great Mosque of Tirana''' (''[[Albanian language|Albanian:]] Xhamia e Madhe e Tiranës''), is the largest mosque in the Balkans, located in [[Tirana]], [[Albania]].


== History ==
== History ==
After the fall of communism in Albania, in 1991, [[Islam in Albania|Muslim Albanians]] often complained about being discriminated against. While two cathedrals ([[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]) were built, as of 2016 Muslims in Albania still had no central mosque and had to pray in the streets. In 1992, then president, [[Sali Berisha]], laid the first stone of the [[mosque]] to be constructed near Namazgah square, close to the Albanian parliament. Construction was delayed after the speaker of parliament, [[Pjetër Arbnori]], contested the plans.<ref name="balkan">{{cite web |date=22 November 2010 |title=New Mosque Plan Catches Albania Muslims Off Guard |url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/new-mosque-proposal-surprises-albanian-muslims |access-date=January 4, 2015}}</ref>
Even after the fall of communism in Albania, in 1991, [[Islam in Albania|Muslim Albanians]] often complained about being discriminated against. While two cathedrals ([[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Catholic Church|Catholic]]) were built, as of 2016 Muslims in Albania still had no central mosque and had to pray in the streets. In 1992, then president, [[Sali Berisha]], laid the first stone of the [[mosque]] to be constructed near Namazgah square, close to the Albanian parliament. Construction was delayed after the speaker of parliament, [[Pjetër Arbnori]], contested the plans.<ref name="balkan">{{cite web |date=22 November 2010 |title=New Mosque Plan Catches Albania Muslims Off Guard |url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/new-mosque-proposal-surprises-albanian-muslims |access-date=January 4, 2015}}</ref>


The decision of building the mosque was taken in 2010, by then mayor of Tirana, [[Edi Rama]]. The building of the mosque is considered necessary because there are only eight mosques in the city, down from 28 in 1967. During [[Islamic holidays]], the [[Skanderbeg Square]] is filled with Muslim worshipers, because the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]]-era [[Et'hem Bey Mosque]], currently Tirana's principal mosque, has a capacity of only 60 persons. Rain makes [[Friday prayer|Friday sermons]] impossible.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jetzt.sueddeutsche.de/texte/anzeigen/590804/Balancieren-in-Tirana|title=Balancieren in Tirana|author=Nadia Pantel|work=jetzt.de – [[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]|date=January 2, 2015|access-date=January 4, 2015}}</ref>
The decision of building the mosque was taken in 2010, by then mayor of Tirana, [[Edi Rama]]. Construction started in 2014.
[[File:Great-Mosque-of-Tirana-2018.jpg|thumb|left|As seen from the top of the Pyramid of Tirana]]Construction of the new mosque was launched in 2015 with the financing of 30 million euros ($34 million) partly coming from the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey, [[Presidency of Religious Affairs|Diyanet]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= Tanrıkulu Kızıl |first= Nurbanu |date=2024-10-10 |title= President Erdoğan inaugurates largest mosque in Balkans |url= https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/president-erdogan-inaugurates-largest-mosque-in-balkans |access-date=2024-10-11 |website= Daily Sabah |language= en-US}}</ref><ref name="Economist">{{cite journal |title=Mosqued objectives:Turkey is sponsoring Islam abroad to extend its prestige and power |url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21688926-turkey-sponsoring-islam-abroad-extend-its-prestige-and-power-mosqued-objectives/ |journal=Economist |access-date=23 January 2016}}"</ref> In 2015, Turkish president [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] visited [[Albania]] for the [[Cornerstone|inauguration]] ceremony of the mosque.<ref name="Economist" />
[[File:Great-Mosque-of-Tirana-2018.jpg|thumb|left|As seen from the top of the Pyramid of Tirana]]
The building of the mosque is considered necessary because there are only eight mosques in the city, down from 28 in 1967. During [[Islamic holidays]], the [[Skanderbeg Square]] is filled with Muslim worshipers, because the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]]-era [[Et'hem Bey Mosque]], currently Tirana's principal mosque, has a capacity of only 60 persons. Rain makes [[Friday prayer|Friday sermons]] impossible.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jetzt.sueddeutsche.de/texte/anzeigen/590804/Balancieren-in-Tirana|title=Balancieren in Tirana|author=Nadia Pantel|work=jetzt.de – [[Süddeutsche Zeitung]]|date=January 2, 2015|access-date=January 4, 2015}}</ref>


The mosque was officially opened on October 10, 2024, in a ceremony at which the Turkish president [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] and Albanian prime minister [[Edi Rama]] delivered speeches.<ref name=":0" /> The mosque is expected to increase tourism and will replace the [[Et'hem Bey Mosque]] in the city center as the main mosque.
The mosque will have four [[Minaret|minarets]], each 50 meters high, while the central [[dome]] will have a height of 30 meters. The first floor of the mosque will include a cultural center and other facilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.albanianscreen.tv/pages/news_detail/61717/ENG|work=Albanian Screen TV|title=Namazgja mosque, Berisha: The denied right was made just|date=April 20, 2013|access-date=January 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104210235/http://news.albanianscreen.tv/pages/news_detail/61717/ENG|archive-date=January 4, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The mosque is being constructed on a 10,000-square-meter parcel of land near Albania's parliament building and will have the capacity for up to 5,000 people to pray at one time within the mosque.<ref name= Hurriyet >{{cite web|title=Turkey's mosque project in Albania on schedule, says engineer| date=March 2016 |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-mosque-project-in-albania-on-schedule-says-engineer--.aspx?pageID=238&nID=95880&NewsCatID=354|publisher=Hurriyet|access-date=17 March 2016}}</ref>


== Architecture ==
The financing for the mosque's construction partly came from the main state-run Turkish Muslim organisation [[Presidency of Religious Affairs|Diyanet]].<ref name= Economist>{{cite journal|title= Mosqued objectives:Turkey is sponsoring Islam abroad to extend its prestige and power|url=https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21688926-turkey-sponsoring-islam-abroad-extend-its-prestige-and-power-mosqued-objectives/|journal=Economist|access-date=23 January 2016}}"</ref> In 2015, Turkish president [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] visited [[Albania]] for the [[Cornerstone|inauguration]] ceremony of the mosque.<ref name= Economist/>
The mosque's design was inspired by [[Classical Ottoman architecture]]. It has four [[Minaret|minarets]], each 50 meters high, while the central [[dome]] has a height of 30 meters. The first floor of the mosque includes a cultural center and other facilities.<ref>{{cite web |date=April 20, 2013 |title=Namazgah mosque, Berisha: The denied right was made just |url=http://news.albanianscreen.tv/pages/news_detail/61717/ENG |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104210235/http://news.albanianscreen.tv/pages/news_detail/61717/ENG |archive-date=January 4, 2015 |access-date=January 4, 2015 |work=Albanian Screen TV}}</ref> The mosque has been constructed on a 10,000-square-meter parcel of land near Albania's parliament building. It has a capacity for up to 8,000 people to pray inside the mosque and 2,000 on the outside; totaling at 10,000 people.<ref name="Hurriyet">{{cite web|title=Turkey's mosque project in Albania on schedule, says engineer| date=March 2016 |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-mosque-project-in-albania-on-schedule-says-engineer--.aspx?pageID=238&nID=95880&NewsCatID=354|publisher=Hurriyet|access-date=17 March 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

==See also==
* [[Islam in Albania|Namazgah Mosque]]
* [[Madrasa of Tirana]]


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 23:53, 2 December 2024

Namazgah mosque of Tirana
Xhamia e Namazgjase
The Namazgjah mosque during construction
Religion
AffiliationIslam
SectSunni islam
DistrictZona 1
ProvinceTirana county
RegionTirana, Albania
OwnershipAlbanian Muslim Community[1]
Location
LocationTirana city, Albania
MunicipalityTirana
CountryAlbania
Namazgah Mosque is located in Albania
Namazgah Mosque
Shown within Albania
Geographic coordinates41°19′32″N 19°49′27″E / 41.32556°N 19.82417°E / 41.32556; 19.82417
Architecture
TypeSunni mosque
StyleClassical Ottoman Style
Funded byPresidency of Religious Affairs, Turkey
Groundbreaking2015
CompletedOctober 10, 2024; 54 days ago (2024-10-10)
Construction cost30 million euros
Specifications
Capacity8000 people inside, 2000 outside; 10,000 total
Dome height (outer)30 meters
Minaret(s)4
Minaret height50 meters

The Namazgah Mosque (Albanian: Xhamia e Namazgjasë; English: Mosque of Prayer) or the Great Mosque of Tirana (Albanian: Xhamia e Madhe e Tiranës), is the largest mosque in the Balkans, located in Tirana, Albania.

History

[edit]

Even after the fall of communism in Albania, in 1991, Muslim Albanians often complained about being discriminated against. While two cathedrals (Eastern Orthodox and Catholic) were built, as of 2016 Muslims in Albania still had no central mosque and had to pray in the streets. In 1992, then president, Sali Berisha, laid the first stone of the mosque to be constructed near Namazgah square, close to the Albanian parliament. Construction was delayed after the speaker of parliament, Pjetër Arbnori, contested the plans.[2]

The decision of building the mosque was taken in 2010, by then mayor of Tirana, Edi Rama. The building of the mosque is considered necessary because there are only eight mosques in the city, down from 28 in 1967. During Islamic holidays, the Skanderbeg Square is filled with Muslim worshipers, because the Ottoman-era Et'hem Bey Mosque, currently Tirana's principal mosque, has a capacity of only 60 persons. Rain makes Friday sermons impossible.[3]

As seen from the top of the Pyramid of Tirana

Construction of the new mosque was launched in 2015 with the financing of 30 million euros ($34 million) partly coming from the Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkey, Diyanet.[4][5] In 2015, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Albania for the inauguration ceremony of the mosque.[5]

The mosque was officially opened on October 10, 2024, in a ceremony at which the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Albanian prime minister Edi Rama delivered speeches.[4] The mosque is expected to increase tourism and will replace the Et'hem Bey Mosque in the city center as the main mosque.

Architecture

[edit]

The mosque's design was inspired by Classical Ottoman architecture. It has four minarets, each 50 meters high, while the central dome has a height of 30 meters. The first floor of the mosque includes a cultural center and other facilities.[6] The mosque has been constructed on a 10,000-square-meter parcel of land near Albania's parliament building. It has a capacity for up to 8,000 people to pray inside the mosque and 2,000 on the outside; totaling at 10,000 people.[7][4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Hapja e "Namazgjasë"/ Kryemyftiu Bilal Teqja për ABC News: Ja si do menaxhohet xhamia". YouTube (in Albanian). 2024-10-10. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  2. ^ "New Mosque Plan Catches Albania Muslims Off Guard". 22 November 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  3. ^ Nadia Pantel (January 2, 2015). "Balancieren in Tirana". jetzt.de – Süddeutsche Zeitung. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Tanrıkulu Kızıl, Nurbanu (2024-10-10). "President Erdoğan inaugurates largest mosque in Balkans". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 2024-10-11.
  5. ^ a b "Mosqued objectives:Turkey is sponsoring Islam abroad to extend its prestige and power". Economist. Retrieved 23 January 2016."
  6. ^ "Namazgah mosque, Berisha: The denied right was made just". Albanian Screen TV. April 20, 2013. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  7. ^ "Turkey's mosque project in Albania on schedule, says engineer". Hurriyet. March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
[edit]