DITIB-Merkez-Moschee, Central mosque in Marxloh, Germany.
The DITIB-Merkez-Moschee stands in Duisburg-Marxloh, built in Ottoman style on a 40 by 28 metre footprint. Its light beige stone facade has three large arched windows with dark glass and green trim, and a flat entrance canopy on columns projects from the centre. A slender minaret rises 34 metres from a square base with a geometric tile panel; the silver-coloured dome roof reaches 23 metres, with a large central dome with small arched windows and four smaller domes along the roofline.
The building opened in 2008 as part of the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs network, which operates numerous religious centers across Germany. Its creation reflects the growth of the Turkish community in the region during the early 2000s.
The mosque is also called "Muradiyye". Its interior is decorated with gold, turquoise, red and white painting and lit by golden chandeliers. The community sees itself as liberal, takes part in ecumenical meetings with Christian churches and wants the building to serve as a centre of interreligious dialogue. No muezzin calls to prayer from outside.
The site observes daily prayer times according to the Islamic calendar and maintains separate entrances and areas for visitors of different genders. Guests should wear appropriate clothing and remove their shoes before entering.
The mosque is nicknamed the "Miracle of Marxloh" because planning began in 2004 and the building opened in 2008 without public protests or legal disputes, credited to cooperation between the mosque association, the city and Christian congregations. The community centre inside was funded with about 3.4 million euros from the EU and North Rhine-Westphalia.
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