The construction of a mosque that is set to be built in Istanbul’s Taksim Square began on Feb. 17 with an official ceremony attended by the city’s mayor, Kadir Topbaş, Hurriyet reports.
Speaking at the event for the project, which has been the subject to controversy and saw lengthy legal processes, Topbaş said there has always been a need for a mosque in the city’s major tourist and culture hub.
“The fact that the mosque is near the Santa Maria Church and two sanctuaries facing Taksim shows how tolerant this city is,” he said.
He added that the lack of mosques in Taksim necessitated the construction of the new mosque.
He recalled the debates that occurred regarding the construction of the mosque in the square, adding that if such a place is a “fundamental need,” then it would have to be built.
