Istanbul’s mosques have always been an iconic symbol of this large city, with over 3000 mosques in Istanbul dating back to the 4th century up to the present time. Colourful tiles and calligraphy are some of the prominent features of these Turkish mosques. The height of the domes resemble power and most often mosques that were smaller and with lower domes were more delicately decorated with patterned and colourful textiles to show off that power. These iconic mosques all have Muezzins, who chant Azan and call the locals to come for prayer. This is an old tradition and dates back to centuries when there were no broadcasts to call the worshippers to come for prayer.
The mosques are an exciting sight for attracting tourists and they are also a community space for locals and artists to exhibit their work and enjoy the community services that are provided by the mosques. Historically mosques were the epicentre of community services providing social services such as education, libraries, medical care etc. Today, we have modernized those needs by building separate organizations and communities but mosques still remain a powerful and safe space for the community.
