Oct 8, 2024 – The Great Mosque of Tirana, considered the largest mosque in the Balkans, is set to be inaugurated on Thursday during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Albania. The Ottoman-style mosque, built with funds from Turkey’s government, will be a significant new landmark in the heart of the Albanian capital.
The mosque, also known as the Namazgja Mosque, has attracted attention not only for its size and design but also for reports that a Turkish imam will lead it, rather than an Albanian. This has sparked discussions around the leadership of religious institutions in Albania, where Islam is the largest religion but local traditions and culture hold strong influence.
The mosque’s construction marks a deepening of ties between Albania and Turkey, which have maintained close political, economic, and cultural links in recent years. Erdogan’s visit underscores this relationship, with the Turkish president expected to deliver a speech at the inauguration.
Following his stop in Albania, Erdogan will travel to Serbia as part of a regional tour aimed at strengthening Turkey’s influence in the Western Balkans, a region where Ankara has played an increasingly active role.
The opening of the mosque, with its prominent Ottoman architecture, is seen as symbolic of Turkey’s soft power in Albania, a NATO member and EU candidate country. While the mosque’s leadership by a foreign imam has stirred some debate, it is widely expected to become a key center of worship for Albania’s Muslim community.
The inauguration will also be attended by Albanian officials and religious leaders, with security tight around the event in anticipation of large crowds.
