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Cologne mosque sounds off thanks to City’s diversity project
Cologne allowed mosques to apply for sounding calls to prayer last year, with the city’s Central Mosque taking advantage of the project on 14 October this year.
According to the project launched under Mayor of Cologne Henriette Reker, mosques can apply for permission to sound the call on Fridays between noon and 3 p.m. for a maximum of five minutes, with authorities determining noise limits for each mosque depending on its location.
The Central Mosque is located west of Cologne centre, can fit 1,200 worshippers and is run by the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DİTİB). President of Turkey Recep Erdoğan inaugurated the mosque in September 2018.
The building with two tall minarets is modern, largely made of concrete and glass, and designed as a flower bud.
DİTİB noted that it reached an agreement with city authorities earlier this month and added that the call is limited to 60 decibels due to the mosque’s location. DİTİB general secretary Abdurrahman Atasoy stressed that the organisation is very happy and pointed out “the public call to prayer is a sign that Muslims are at home here.”
Reker stated that citizens appreciate the decision, adding that it is a sign of respect for the Muslim minority and noting that it shows diversity.
Mosques in some German cities have been allowed to sound calls to prayer for years, with Cologne launching its pilot project last year.
Cologne is home to more than 100,000 Muslims, who account for roughly 6% of the country’s population.
(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
