Islamic Cultural Center of Rome
Introduction
The Great Mosque of Rome (Italian: Grande Moschea di Roma) is the main place of worship of the Muslim community in Rome, and the largest in Italy and Europe. The building is located in the northern part of the city, at the foot of the Parioli mountains, next to the Acqua Acetosa sports facilities), and is the headquarters of the Centro islamico culturale d'Italia").[1].
It is situated on 30,000 m² of land and can accommodate up to 12,000 worshipers. On the days of the main festivities, such as the Feast of the Sacrifice, it receives an influx of about 3,000 – 4,000 faithful. The mosque offers, in addition to a point of aggregation and reference in the religious field, also cultural and social services connected in different ways to the Islamic faith, such as marriage celebrations, funeral assistance, exegesis, conferences and much more. It is the work of architect Paolo Portoghesi.
Construction
The construction of the great mosque of Rome was desired and financed by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, founder of the Saudi royal family, and "Guardian of the Holy Places" of Mecca and Medina. The project was entrusted to Paolo Portoghesi, who collaborated with Vittorio Gigliotti, Sami Mousawi") and Nino Tozzo").
As can be read in the exterior epigraph, its construction took more than twenty years: the donation of the land was decided by the Roman Municipal Council in 1974, but the first stone was laid ten years later, in 1984 (year 1362 of the Hegira), with the presence of the then President of the Republic Sandro Pertini, and the inauguration took place on June 21, 1995, the day of the summer solstice.
Architecture
In the structure, strongly integrated into the green area that surrounds it (from which it emerges, but without friction), what stands out is the mix between the modern conception of the structure and the omnipresent curved lines (the large prayer room undoubtedly recalls a forest or an oasis, with its three-stemmed columns), the use of light to create an atmosphere of meditation, and the use of materials that generate typically Roman colors, such as travertine and pink clay. The decorative apparatus, very discreet in the breadth of the space that contains it, is made up of glazed ceramics in delicate colors.