Mosque Project in Taksim Approved

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İstanbul Cultural Properties Preservation Regional Council No. 2 approved a mosque project in Taksim, which has been long since disputed, on January 19.

Şefik Birikiye and Selim Dalaman are planned to be the architect of the mosque that is planned to be built right behind Taksim Directorate of Water.

According to a report by Dinçer Gökçe from Hürriyet newspaper, the project will be realized on an area of 1,482-meter square. Its floor area is planned to be 900 meters. The building height will be 20.70 meters, dome height 9.6 meters and the total groin 30.3 meters.

The planned height is reportedly equal to height of two churches near the mosque area.

A parking area with the capacity of 180 vehicles and a conference hall are planned to be built in three floors below the mosque.

“A political decision”

Chamber of Architectures İstanbul Branch President Sami Yılmaztürk stated that allowing the project is a political decision rather than a judicial one.

“Project of constructing a mosque in Taksim has been disputed since 70s. There is a long legal process. There are many court decisions that a mosque cannot be built in Taksim. Despite that, a lot of courts revoked the decision at the same time in 2015. We objected to this decision. This was a result of a process in which the jurisdiction was politicized. It is a politicized decision. There is no need to say more”. (NV/TK)