Religious site

Kocatepe Mosque

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Kocatepe MosquePhoto via TripAdvisor (pedera340)
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Kocatepe Mosque is the largest mosque in Ankara, Turkey, built between 1967 and 1987 in the Kocatepe quarter of Kızılay. Its size and prominent location make it a landmark visible from almost anywhere in central Ankara.

Don't miss

  • The mosque is built in a neo-classical Ottoman architectural style.
  • Its design was inspired by the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, as well as the Shehzade and Sultan Ahmet mosques in Istanbul.
  • The mosque's size and prominent situation make it a landmark visible from almost anywhere in central Ankara.
  • It is the largest mosque in Ankara.

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Kocatepe Mosque

You can visit Kocatepe Mosque on your own. A guide is worth it for the history and detail that is easy to walk past, and a tour can combine it with nearby sights.

Getting there

Know before you go

  • The mosque is in the Kocatepe quarter of Kızılay, about one kilometre southeast of Kızılay Square.
  • Its scale and position make it visible from much of central Ankara.
  • The completed design draws on Selimiye Mosque and the Şehzade and Sultan Ahmed mosques.

A bit of history

The idea for the mosque dates to the 1940s. In 1944, a society was formed to build a mosque in Yenişehir, Ankara. After several architectural competitions, an early modernist design by Vedat Dalokay and Nejat Tekelioğlu was chosen, but construction was halted due to conservative criticism. A later competition in 1967 selected a more conservative design by Hüsrev Tayla and M. Fatin Uluengin, which was completed in 1987.

Common questions

When was Kocatepe Mosque built?

Construction began in 1967 and was completed in 1987.

What architectural style is the mosque?

It is built in a neo-classical Ottoman architectural style.

Which mosques inspired its design?

It was inspired by the Selimiye Mosque in Edirne, and the Shehzade and Sultan Ahmet mosques in Istanbul.

More attractions in Ankara

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