Cambridge Central Mosque

The Cambridge Central Mosque[2] is Europe's first eco-friendly mosque and the first purpose-built mosque within the city of Cambridge, England. Its mandate is to meet the needs of the Muslim community in the UK and beyond by facilitating good practice in faith, community development, social cohesion & interfaith dialogue. The Cambridge Central Mosque was opened to the public on 24 April 2019.[3]

Cambridge Central Mosque
Cambridge Central Mosque atrium, looking out towards Mill Road
Religion
AffiliationIslam
RegionRomsey, Mill Road
StatusActive
Location
LocationCambridge, United Kingdom
Geographic coordinates52.20018°N 0.136053°E / 52.20018; 0.136053
Architecture
Architect(s)Marks Barfield
TypeMosque
StyleEco-technology design
CompletedQ1 2019
Construction cost£23m GBP[1]
Specifications
Capacity1,000
Dome(s)1
Minaret(s)0
MaterialsTimber, bricks and tiles
Website
https://www.cambridgecentralmosque.org/

Background
Detail of column and ceiling

The Muslim Academic Trust (MAT) proposed the site location to be situated in the Romsey area of Mill Road in Cambridge. Thereafter, the Cambridge Mosque Project was established in 2008 by Dr Timothy Winter, a lecturer in Islamic studies at the University of Cambridge, to raise funds for the project.[4][5]

After the £4m purchase of a one-acre site in 2009 on Mill Road, Marks Barfield Architects was appointed to design the new mosque in association with Professor Keith Critchlow, a world leading expert in sacred architecture and Islamic geometry along with the UK's leading Islamic garden designer Emma Clark.[6] Marks Barfield Architects are known for innovative designs such as the London Eye and Kew Gardens Treetop Walk, to name a few. Plans for the mosque were submitted to the Cambridge City Council by the MAT and it was approved by the council in 2012.[7] The project however was controversial and it was met with objections.[8][9][10][11]

With its emphasis on sustainability and high reliance on green energy, the mosque is Europe's first eco-mosque.[12] In addition to the mosque's dedicated areas (ablution, teaching, children's area, morgue), there is a café, teaching area and meeting rooms for use by the local Muslim and non-Muslim communities. It can accommodate up to 1000 worshippers.[13]

Donors from Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Americas have supported the project, but most of the donations, around two-thirds of the total, came from Turkey.[14] Construction started in September 2016, was completed in March 2019, and the mosque opened to the public on 24 April 2019.[3]

  • View from Mill Road
  • Gate and garden
  • Portico
  • Atrium
  • Prayer hall
  • Prayer hall screen

See also

References
  1. Curtis, Adrian (24 January 2019). "Stunning views of Cambridge's £23m mosque". Cambridge Independent.
  2. "Welcome to the Cambridge Central Mosque". Cambridge Central Mosque.
  3. "'Eco mosque' opens for prayers in Cambridge". BBC. 24 April 2019.
  4. "Cambridge Mosque Project".
  5. Pukas, Anna. "Islam's green future: Inside Europe's first eco-mosque". My Salaam.
  6. "Emma Clark".
  7. "Cambridge £15m mosque plans approved for Mill Road site". BBC. 22 August 2012.
  8. "1,400 sign petition against planned £17m mosque in Cambridge". 5pillarz.com. 16 February 2014.
  9. "Stop construction of mosque on Mill Road, Cambridge". causes.com.
  10. "Cambridge Mill Road mosque objection leaflets delivered". bbc.co.uk. 13 December 2011.
  11. "UAF outnumbers EDL in Cambridge demonstration". cambridge-news.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013.
  12. "Eco-Mosque". Cambridge Mosque Trust. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  13. Brown, Raymond (2 November 2016). "Watch massive new £15 million mosque in Cambridge being built for 1,000 worshippers". Cambridge News.
  14. Moore, Rowan (17 March 2019). "Inside Cambridge's new £23m mosque: a forest runs through it". The Guardian.

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