Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque, Central mosque in Mannheim, Germany
The Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque is a Muslim place of worship in the Schönau district of Mannheim, Germany, built with a circular floor plan and a single minaret standing 35 meters tall. The prayer hall inside can hold around 2,500 worshippers and is lit by a large chandelier hanging from a white domed ceiling.
The mosque opened in 1995 and was at that time the largest Islamic house of prayer in Germany. It was built to give the growing Muslim community in Mannheim a permanent place for worship.
The mosque is named after an Ottoman sultan from the 16th century, bringing a piece of Turkish history into the heart of Germany. Visitors can notice how Ottoman architectural details appear alongside local German building materials, giving the structure a look unlike most mosques in the country.
The building is open to visitors during the day, and guided tours can be arranged with prior notice. Modest clothing is expected, and it is worth checking prayer times before you arrive to avoid any disruption.
The circular shape of the prayer hall is very rare in Islamic religious architecture, where rectangular rooms are by far the most common. This layout means that all worshippers stand at a roughly equal distance from the direction of Mecca.
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