“The mosque is the forum of the Islamic city.”
— Doğan Kuban

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes of 2023, the reconstruction of Antakya is being approached with great care, drawing upon the enduring traces of its historical layers—particularly the Roman Bridge, the Asi River, and the historic urban core.

Within this broader framework of recovery and continuity, the Central Mosque is conceived not only as a place of worship, but as an integral component of a larger public park system. The proposed site is located within one of the most historically significant zones of the city, shaped over time by the Roman Bridge and the dense urban fabric that developed along the river.

In this context, the mosque is envisioned as a civic structure that extends beyond its religious function, supported by public programs that establish a fluid and permeable relationship with the city. Its inner courtyards respond to the existing urban morphology, allowing pedestrian movement to pass through and integrate with the surrounding fabric—enabling the project to exist “within the natural flow of urban life.”

Accordingly, the proposal is developed as a “Mosque and Cultural Center,” where spaces of worship, learning, and gathering coexist within a unified spatial system. The aim is to embed faith and ritual within the rhythms of everyday life, fostering a sense of collective belonging and social cohesion.

The mosque and its courtyard are positioned at the northern edge of Ali Rıza Efendi Park, minimizing intervention within the existing green landscape. An L-shaped structure accommodating commercial units and a library defines the boundary between the courtyard and the street, simultaneously establishing a sense of enclosure and permeability. This configuration maintains the continuity of pedestrian circulation while articulating a nuanced threshold between the sacred and the civic.