The Sancaklar Cami - a mosque for hobbits

We took a day trip to Edirne last weekend and on the way there we visited my new favourite "modern" mosque in Turkey.

The Sancaklar Mosque is unique in many, many ways - the most notable being that it is built into the hillside, and the main area of the mosque is essentially underground. From the road, only the sparse minaret and low walls are in view.

Once you come in and pass the minaret, you see the steps leading down to the mosque itself.

Once you go down the stairs there is a small courtyard area and a shallow pool, a library on the left, and the entrances to the mosque on the right. 

The inspiration for this mosque is story of the Prophet Muhammad who would often seek solace and spiritual retreat in the cave of Hira in Mecca. The Sancaklar Mosque attempts to mirror that cave-like space, playing with natural light and shadow, creating a peaceful space for reflection and prayer.

It is hard to find tranquility when traveling with 30 students, but my heart really did feel something special in this mosque. I hope that it has given you some different ideas of what a mosque can be in Turkey! You can see more pictures at the architect's website, here.