Mosque decision for Kadıköy Waterfront: Taller than Haydarpaşa Station

A new development has occurred in the legal process regarding the mosque project planned for the reclaimed land that has been used as a green space for many years on the Kadıköy Waterfront. The project, which had been cancelled by the local court, has regained legal validity following a decision by the Istanbul Regional Administrative Court.

LOCAL COURT HAD CANCELLED IT

Within the scope of the lawsuit filed by the Kadıköy Municipality, the Istanbul 3rd Administrative Court had decided to cancel the mosque project in 2024, based on expert reports. Taking into account the technical assessments in the reports, the court had concluded that the project was not in the public interest.

APPELLATE COURT OVERTURNED THE DECISION

However, the 4th Administrative Litigation Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Administrative Court overturned the local court's cancellation decision with its ruling dated December 15, 2025. The chamber rejected the lawsuit, effectively clearing the way for the mosque project once again.

CHAMBER OF ARCHITECTS: WE WILL GO TO THE COUNCIL OF STATE

Following the decision, the Istanbul Metropolitan Branch of the Chamber of Architects issued a written statement. The statement expressed that the regional administrative court did not take into account the scientific and technical warnings contained in the expert reports prepared during the litigation process.

In its statement, the Chamber noted that the expert reports clearly demonstrated the damage the mosque project would cause to Kadıköy, stating, 'It is understood that the mosque project fails to establish a visual relationship with the bay and Haydarpaşa Station, which are symbols of the city, and that its impact on the urban silhouette of the Anatolian side has not been taken into consideration.'

The Chamber of Architects argued that the regional administrative court invalidated critical assessments in the expert report through procedural interpretations, such as exempting mosque structures from height restrictions under the Coastal Law. The statement noted that instead of considering the city's physical reality, transportation, and infrastructure problems, the court based its decision on the administrative finality of the plans.

The Chamber stated, "At a point where science says 'a structure of this scale cannot be built here,' the judiciary has paved the way for urban plunder by saying 'if the plan is finalized, the structure can be built.'" The Chamber of Architects announced that they will appeal the decision to the Council of State and will continue to defend the Kadıköy Waterfront area.

MOSQUE DENSITY IN EXPERT REPORTS

The expert report, which the Istanbul 3rd Administrative Court had previously relied upon to cancel the project, pointed out that there are numerous mosques within walking distance of the project area. The report stated that the Sultan Mustafa III Pier Mosque is 400 meters away, while the Osman Ağa, Kethüda Çarşı, and Cafer Ağa mosques are located approximately 500 meters away.

Despite this, it was stated that no comprehensive analysis regarding human and vehicle traffic had been conducted, and the project's impact on transportation had not been sufficiently evaluated.

PARKING LOT AND GREEN SPACE CONFLICT

The expert report also drew attention to the fact that the underground parking lot planned next to the mosque overlaps with a protected area containing registered trees. It was assessed that this situation would cause the area to shift away from pedestrian-oriented use and transform into a vehicle-oriented structure.

EMPHASIS ON SILHOUETTE

The effects on the city skyline were also among the prominent headings of the report. The report stated, 'It is understood that the mosque project does not establish a visual relationship with the bay, which is a symbol of the city, and Haydarpaşa Station, and that its impact on the Anatolian side's city skyline has not been taken into consideration.'