Sancaklar Mosque

Sancaklar Mosque

Sancaklar Mosque is the first mosque designed by Emre Arolat Architects, a company founded by Emre Arolat and Gonca Paşolar. It is one of the 20 winners of RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Awards for International Excellence 2018, and the 1st Prize in the World Architectural Festival Award 2013.

Sancaklar Mosque was built in Büyükçekmece, a suburb of Istanbul, Turkey, by architect Emre Arolat. Finished in 2012, it was awarded the Religious Building of the Year Award for 2015 by ArchDaily.Sancaklar Mosque aims to address the fundamental issues of designing a mosque by distancing itself from the current architectural discussions based on form and focusing solely on the essence of religious space, said the architects.

The building blends in completely with the topography and the outside world is left behind as one moves through the landscape, down the hill and in between the walls to enter the mosque

At the begging from the road,there’s not much to see just an attractive, natural-looking stone wall made from Bodrum slate, and a rectangular tower that looks more like a chimney than a minaret. It is only the name, Sancaklar Camii, carved into a piece of stone, which gives away the fact that this is a mosque. You would  be forgiven for thinking it was a high-tech museum built adjacent to the ruins of an ancient city.

I liked the mosque very much and it did not have a classic design. I think it is interesting to people because of the design of the mosque is totally different from other mosque designs.I looked for rooms inside of the mosque including toilet and toilet paper everything looks great.The people who come to see culturally tourists or local people.I like the amphitheater design of the prayer area, including the stairs to the khutbe.the carpet is soft and thick under foot, and a sense of calm instantly envelops you. Exposed stone walls made from the same slate as the exterior are tastefully up-lit with evenly spaced spotlights shining from their positions in pebble-filled moats lining the wall’s interior.

The interior is not adorned with calligraphy and symbolism. There is just one verse, on a shining modern black painted glass wall, that translates as “Remember your Lord much.”(Vav Word in arabic) It serves to remove you from the turbulence of Istanbul, and allows you to be alone either with your god or simply with your thoughts.

To Sum Up, I would recommend visiting a mosque that smells of a different culture outside the usual.