Near the centre of Cologne, the Islamic Cultural Centre embraces the general public in a raised urban plaza accessed by an expansive stairway; the centre comprises a bazaar with shops and restaurants on two floors, a conference hall, a library, administrative offices, and a small museum of Islamic arts in addition to the mosque. The main prayer hall is formed by a series of concrete shells that rise at their apex to form a dome and permit the entry of natural light through recessed windows. The prayer hall is flanked by two minarets, and ablutions areas are in contained in an adjacent building. The project was the winning entry in an international competition conducted in 2005.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture