The Millet daily ran a headline reading “A $10 million secret donation,” which prompted reactions from investors in the company, listed on Turkey's stock exchange, the Borsa İstanbul (BİST), as well as a subsequent confirmation from Emlak Konut GYO. Investors in the company were reportedly opposed to the firm making donations.
The controversial mosque project has been vigorously supported by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and has been criticized for its massive size, lack of architectural originality and its unfortunate location atop a hill in one of İstanbul's few remaining forest areas. Critics have also claimed that İstanbul, a city with more than 3,000 mosques, simply does not need another one. Construction is presently under way on Çamlıca Hill, a popular area known for its picturesque views of İstanbul and the surrounding bodies of water.
The complex is expected to include a parking lot with room for 3,500 vehicles, a museum of Turkish/İslamic artifacts spanning just under 11,000 square meters, a 3,435 square meter art gallery, a 2,750 square meter library and a 1,000-person capacity conference hall. The colossal facility will span a 57,500 square meter area and the mosque will have room for 37,500 worshippers. This means that it will be considerably larger than the Sabancı Central Mosque in the province of Adana, which is the largest in Turkey and features six minarets.
Today Zaman