Tiran Namazgah Camii

Tiran Namazgah Camii (Albanian: Xhamia e Namazgjasë), also known as the Grand Mosque of Tiran (Albanian: Xhamia e Madhe e Tiranës), is a place of worship located in the capital of Albania, Tiran, and is the largest mosque in Albania and the Balkans, with construction completed in 2024.

History

During the Ottoman period, a central mosque existed in Tiran in the 17th century; however, this structure was completely demolished during the communist regime of Enver Hoxha in the 20th century. Before the communist era, Albania had 1,127 mosques; by the end of communist rule, only 50 remained. In the 1990s, the need to rebuild a large central mosque reemerged on the national agenda. With the request of the Muslim Community of Albania and the support of the Turkish Diyanet Foundation, a decision was made to construct a new mosque. The foundation stone was laid in 2015. The construction process lasted approximately eight years and was completed in 2024.

Architecture

The Namazgah Mosque in the capital of Albania, Tiran, draws inspiration from Ottoman-Turkish architecture. It has a total enclosed area of 17,650 square meters. Including its courtyard, the mosque has a congregation capacity of 3,600 people. The basement levels contain a conference hall, classrooms, a Quran course center, lecture rooms, exhibition spaces, a library, work areas, and covered parking. The mosque features a main dome measuring 19 meters in width and 42 meters in height, along with four minarets reaching up to 56 meters. Located in the heart of the city, the Namazgah Mosque stands out through its exquisite examples of Turkish-Islamic art, including ornamental calligraphy, Iznik tiles, mother-of-pearl inlay, wood carving, kündekâri craftsmanship, muqarnas decorations, and elegant stained-glass windows.

Tiran Namazgah Camii, Exterior View(Turkish Religious Affairs Foundation)

Inauguration

The mosque was opened for worship on 10 October 2024 in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and other state officials also attended the ceremony. In his speech, Erdoğan emphasized that the Namazgah Mosque represents the newest symbol of a shared history and brotherhood spanning over six centuries. Expressing his joy at being in Albania, Erdoğan thanked the Albanian people for embracing him with love. He stated that he felt immense happiness and wished the Namazgah Mosque, whose foundation was laid in 2015 and which is the largest mosque in the Balkans, to bring blessings to all Muslims. Erdoğan extended his gratitude to all those involved in the project, especially Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, for their contributions and to the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs and the Diyanet Foundation for their support in the construction of the Namazgah Mosque.