Fatih Mosque in Amsterdam opened its doors to Dutch visitors as part of the two-day Open Monuments Day event. More than 700 people visited the mosque on the first day of the event.
Visitor numbers are expected to reach 1,500 on the second day of the event, which will continue on Sunday. The program introduced visitors to the mosque’s history, the changes it has undergone and the religious and social role it plays today.
Islamic culture and mosque life introduced
Fikret Önder, president of the Fatih Mosque Association, briefed visitors on the mosque’s history. The mosque’s imams, Kemal Gözütok and Muhammed Tuna, performed Quran recitations.
The program also featured the call to prayer, devotional hymns and poetry to introduce different aspects of Islamic culture and civilization. Participants received information about Islam, mosques, rules of worship, Islamic ethics, philosophy and thought.
Islamic arts and handicrafts were displayed throughout the event, while visitors were served Turkish food.
An opportunity for mutual acquaintance and dialogue
Fikret Önder said the event brought together many people from different cultures and faiths, offering an opportunity for mutual acquaintance and dialogue. Önder said they provided their Dutch neighbors with direct information about Islam and the mosque, helping visitors get to know them more closely while also giving them an opportunity to observe the visitors’ perspectives.
The mosque’s history
Built in 1920, Fatih Mosque was closed in the 1970s because it no longer had a congregation. In 1971, the mosque building was transferred by a church association to a businessperson.
The building was purchased in 1980 to meet the need for a place of worship among Turkish workers who came to Amsterdam and is protected as a monument. Amsterdam’s Fatih Mosque will also be open to visitors on the second day of the event.
