Minaret

In the heart of Istanbul, on top of the towering minarets that dot the city's skyline, 68-year-old Kahraman Yildiz toils away at a craft that has illuminated the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for generations.

As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches, mosques across Istanbul are gearing up for the spiritual occasion by adorning their minarets with illuminated messages known as mahyas, a tradition dating back centuries.

Within the scope of ongoing restoration in Istanbul's landmark Hagia Sophia, a renovation efforts have been launched for a crucial minaret in the structure due to recent discovery of deep cracks.

Steel scaffolding has been installed on the minaret named after Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II in the section of Istanbul's historic mosque overlooking the Topkapı Palace.

Elegant Venetian homes neighbour later Ottoman residences with lattice-fronted balconies and minarets soar into the blue Cretan skies

Only hours before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, mahyas were hung in significant mosques of Turkey's northwest cities such as Istanbul, Edirne and Bursa, which once served as Ottoman capitals.

Turkey's General Directorate of Foundations continued the hundreds of year old tradition of hanging mahyas to significant mosques this year as well.

Nearly 7 million people visited the Çamlıca Mosque, which was built atop Çamlıca Hill that oversees Istanbul and the Bosphorus in a panoramic way, since it opened to worship last year.
The mosque has been empty these days as Turkey closed all places of worship as part of its measures against the COVID-19 outbreak.

The traditional lighting that hangs between the minarets of Turkish mosques, usually packed for evening prayers in the holy month of Ramadan, is urging Turks to stay at home this year as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic.

Athens' first mosque will officially open its doors on Friday after numerous delays, though it is not expected to start operating immediately as its administrative committee has not been appointed yet.
Education and Religious Affairs Minister Costas Gavroglou is expected to attend the opening in the Votanikos district at noon.

The president of the Muslim Association of Greece on Saturday bemoaned the size of the building that is to house Athens's first mosque in the downtown district of Votanikos, saying it looks more like an oversized kiosk.

"Is this the mosque they've been telling us about for so many years?" Naim Elghandour told Thema 104.6 radio on Saturday.

The eight centuries-old Yivli Minaret, which is a landmark and symbol of Turkey's southern tourism capital Antalya, aims to be included in UNESCO's World Heritage list. Click through for the story in photos by Alamy...