The story of Sabancı Merkez Camii

Almost every number in this mosque carries a message. Its six minarets, each 99 metres tall, stand for the 99 beautiful names of God; the 32-metre main dome recalls the 32 obligations of the faith, and the 28 domes over the courtyard honour the 28 prophets named in the Quran. Look up at the main dome and count its 40 windows, a nod to the age at which Muhammad became a prophet.

Opened in 1998 on the west bank of the Seyhan River, south of Merkez Park, the mosque was designed by architect Necip Dinç in classical Ottoman style: from outside it recalls the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, while its plan echoes the Selimiye. It rests on eight massive piers. Its foundation was laid on 13 December 1988. Public donations paid for half of it; Hacı Sabancı and, after his death, his family paid the rest, which is why the planned Central Mosque became the Sabancı Central Mosque.

All of its calligraphy is by Hüseyin Kutlu.