Turkish president unveils new mosque in heart of Istanbul
Building the mosque in the center of Turkey’s largest city has symbolic value regarding the struggle between secularism and Islamic conservatism in the country.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated a new mosque in Istanbul’s Taksim Square on Friday.
Erdogan spoke at a ceremony for the aptly named Taksim Mosque following Muslim prayers.
“Our mosque has already taken its distinguished place among the symbols of Istanbul,” he said, as reported by the official Anadolu Agency.
Reports varied on the mosque's indoor capacity, which is at least 2,250 people. The mosque complex can host up to 4,000 worshippers at a time.
