Votanikos Mosque
| Votanikos Mosque (Mosque of Athens) | |
|---|---|
Τζαμί της Αθήνας | |
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque |
| Ownership | Government of Greece |
| Leadership | Zaki Mohammed (imam) |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 144 Iera Odos, Votanikos, Athens |
| Country | Greece |
  Shown within Athens | |
 Interactive map of Votanikos Mosque (Mosque of Athens) | |
| Coordinates | 37°59′10″N 23°42′00″E / 37.986°N 23.7°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Funded by | Government of Greece |
| Completed | 2020 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 366 worshipers |
| Interior area | 1,000 m2 (11,000 sq ft) |
| Site area | 1.7 ha (4.2 acres) |
| Materials | Steel |
The Votanikos Mosque, more commonly known as the Mosque of Athens (Greek: Ισλαμικό Τέμενος Αθηνών, romanized: Islamiko Temenos Athinon) or the Athens Mosque (Greek: Τζαμί της Αθήνας, romanized: Tzami tis Athinas, lit. 'Athens Mosque'), is a mosque in the Votanikos neighbourhood of Athens, Greece. It is the first official mosque in the Greek capital since the Greek War of Independence. Until the mosque was completed in 2020, Athens was the only European capital city without a mosque.[1] Construction of the mosque was opposed by the Greek Orthodox Church and subject to civil and judicial protests.[2][3] Construction of the mosque was funded by the Greek Government and it is the only mosque in a European capital built solely using government funds.
History
[edit]Ottoman-era mosques in Athens, such as the Tzistarakis Mosque and the Fethiye Mosque, function solely as archaeological monuments and have not been used for worship since the mid-1920s.[4] Until 2014, only Orthodox Christianity, Judaism, and Islam–in some areas of Greece–were legally allowed to open places of worship.[2] While there was no official mosque near Athens, more than a hundred makeshift mosques formed in the area.[5] As of November 2020[update], ten had been given permission by the Greek government to continue operating but the others were moved or shut down.[1][6]
The first law passed by the Greek Parliament about constructing a ″Turkish mosque″ in the Athens area was in 1890. In 1970, conservative Arab countries offered the funding of a mosque in Athens but neither the law nor the proposal were realized. Increased immigration from Muslim countries in the late 20th- and early 21st centuries made the establishment more urgent.[7] Approximately 200,000 Muslims live in the Athens area,[1] many of whom are Pakistani. However, until 2020, there was no official mosque building.[8]
The first attempt to establish a mosque in Athens dates to Law 2833 in 2000 which envisaged its establishment at Hourmouza in Paiania and was intended to be financed by Saudi Arabia. Due to the reaction of the Orthodox Church and locals, the project stalled.[9]
In 2006, the effort was resumed with Law 3512 but with major modifications: it was decided that the construction would be financed solely by the Greek state which would retain complete control over the mosque and appoint its imam.[9] The project was repeatedly delayed due to protest[10] and judicial actions by various groups, including appeals the Council of State. Additionally, despite four successive public tenders, contractors showed no interest in bidding for the project.[9] Amongst the most vocal of the far-right opponents was Golden Dawn,[11] a neo-Nazi former political party that between 2009 and 2015 became the third-largest party in the Hellenic Parliament.[12]
Construction
[edit]The fifth tender was successful and the contract was awarded to a consortium comprising four of Greece's biggest construction firms (J&P-Avax, GEK Terna, Aktor, and Intrakat): the contract was signed on 10 October 2016. The location had to be cleared by the police first, as it was occupied by far-right protesters,[11] and construction began on 4 November.[9][13] Once a naval garage, the Hellenic Navy handed over the 17 stremmata (1.7-hectare (4.2-acre)) site. Existing structures were torn down for the building of a new complex, planned to include a parking space and children's playground. The mosque was planned to have an area of 1,000 square metres (11,000 sq ft) and comprise two areas of worship, one for men with a capacity for 500, and one for women, with a capacity of 50. A minaret was not planned.[9] The mosque was financed by the Greek state, without any outside financial support; it is the only mosque in a European capital built solely using government funds. The budget was €887,000.[9][1]
Despite the mosque being completed in 2019,[14][15][16] due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[1] the mosque's official opening was delayed until 3 November 2020.[17] Its first and current imam is Zaki Mohammed.[18]
Gallery
[edit]-
The mosque exterior and surrounding grounds -
The fountain and sahn -
Interior of the prayer hall -
The mosque minbar
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Ioannou, Demetrios (November 8, 2020). "Athens's first mosque since the 19th century is 'a dream come true'". Middle East Eye. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Speed, Madeleine (February 1, 2019). "The battle to build a mosque in Athens". Financial Times. London. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
- ^ Farooq, Umar (November 12, 2016). "As Greece's government takes on Orthodox Church over mosque construction, minority Muslims stand to benefit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ Mataragka, Evgenia (November 23, 2021). "Everything you Need to Know about the Ottoman Monuments in Athens". Travel the Greek Way. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
- ^ "Athens Muslims worship underground in absence of official mosque". ABC News. Australia. June 10, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ Kalafatis, Alexandros (November 5, 2020). "Will the new Athens mosque lead to the closure of the 90 illegal mosques?". Greek City Times. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ "Europe's Growing Muslim Population". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. November 29, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ Kitsantonis, Niki (November 14, 2020). "It Took a Century to Open a Mosque in Athens. Then Came the Pandemic". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Lialios, Giorgos (January 12, 2017). Τέλος Απριλίου έτοιμο το τζαμί στον Βοτανικό. Kathimerini (in Greek). Retrieved January 23, 2017.
- ^ Harris, Mary (November 2, 2016). "Greeks Occupy Site of Proposed Mosque at Votanikos". Greek Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ a b Kolasa-Sikiaridi, Kerry (November 4, 2016). "Riot Police Put an End to Occupation of Mosque Site in Votanikos, 15 Detained". Greek Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ Strickland, Patrick O. (April 3, 2023). "A mosque for all seasons: Worshippers mark the third Ramadan at Athens' Votanikos Mosque". Middle East Eye. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ "Construction of a mosque in Votanikos". Intrakat. January 25, 2017.
- ^ "Athens' first Islamic Mosque in final stages of construction". Greek City Times. September 20, 2018.
- ^ "Muslim community bemoans size of Athens mosque". ekathimerini.com. February 3, 2019.
- ^ "Athens mosque nearly ready to open" (includes images). ekathimerini.com. April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Greece: The first mosque in Athens has opened its doors for prayer after 14 years of design and construction". Independent Balkan News Agency. November 4, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
- ^ Lakasas, Apostolos. "Athens' first mosque opens its doors after 14-year wait – Exclusive footage" (includes streaming video). www.ekathimerini.com. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Votanikos Mosque at Wikimedia Commons
- Delidaki, Argyro (January 19, 2023). "The Idiosyncrasy of Greek Islam and the Mosque of Votanikos as a Reconciliation Initiative". The Ecumenical Review. 74 (5) (December 2022 ed.). World Council of Churches: 796–806. doi:10.1111/erev.12747. hdl:10852/99547. Retrieved December 14, 2025 – via Wiley Online.
