There are eight art workshops, an art gallery of 3,500 square meters (37,670 square feet), a library of 3,000 sq. mt. (32,290 sq. ft.), a conference hall with a capacity of 1,071 seats, and an indoor parking lot for 3,500 vehicles in the mosque complex.
MOSQUE AMONG ISTANBUL'S MUST-SEE ATTRACTIONS
Ergin Külünk, head of the Istanbul Mosque and Culture Service Units Construction and Sustenance Association, told Anadolu Agency that the mosque met worshippers on March 7, 2019, and it was officially launched on May 3 in the same year.
The project of the mosque was prepared and completed in 60 months, he said, and it received more-than-expected attention.
Despite a limited number of visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mosque welcomed more visitors with the drop in the coronavirus cases in Turkey, Külünk said.
"The most recent example of this was Laylat al-Qadr," he said referring to the Night of Power, which represents the first revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad.
"We had a very good crowd. I guess around 25,000 people came to the mosque," he added.
"Our visitors and people who prefer our mosque to worship come from almost all parts of Turkey," he said.
The mosque hosted people from many countries after the official opening, Külünk said, adding: "The Grand Çamlıca Mosque has entered the list of places to visit in Istanbul."
OVER 50,000 BOOKS AT LIBRARY
Külünk also recalled that the Museum of Islamic Civilizations opened at the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Since its opening last month, the museum has been visited by more than 150,000 people, he said.
The library at the mosque offers 50,000 books as it is open till midnight.
Nezih Ertuğ, the director of the Museum of Islamic Civilizations, said that the museum opened at the beginning of the Ramadan.
With nearly 800 pieces reflecting the development of Islamic art from the 7th to the 19th centuries, the museum includes 15 thematic sections such as woven Turkish art, works attributed to Prophet Muhammad, and architectural and decorative elements in Islamic art.
Visitors to the museum have the opportunity to see many more works such as representative footprints of Prophet Muhammad, the curtain of Mecca's holy Kaaba, sultan's caftans, the childhood notebook of Mehmed the Conqueror, and Ottoman era coins.
Ertuğ also said that one of the important works of the museum is the sword of Suleiman the Magnificent, which was brought from the Topkapı Palace.
History books mention that the first Ottoman coin was issued during the Orhangazi period, Ertuğ said, but further said: "According to the latest research, the first coin was found to be issued by Osmangazi, not Orhangazi. We brought this coin, which is the only example in the world, to our museum."
The coin was brought from Istanbul's Archaeological Museums, he added.
