Athens’ only official mosque fails to meet the needs of thousands of Muslims
The issue of insufficient places of worship for Muslims in Athens has once again come to the forefront, as the Greek capital’s only official mosque continues to fall far short of meeting the needs of the city’s large Muslim population.
Despite hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in Athens, collective worship remains severely limited due to the lack of officially recognized mosques in the city.
Dozens of Unlicensed Mosques Under Scrutiny
According to a report published on February 3, 2026, by the news website Thriassio.gr, there are currently 20 unlicensed mosques operating in the wider Attica region, including Athens. Authorities are reportedly continuing inspections and registration efforts.
The report notes that, due to growing concerns over extremism in previous years, Greek authorities initiated systematic monitoring of unauthorized mosques, leading to the closure of many prayer spaces and reducing their number to the current level.
ABTTF: “The Current Situation Does Not Meet Community Needs”
Commenting on the issue, Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), stressed that the current situation is far from adequate to meet the needs of the Muslim community.
He pointed out that approximately 300,000 Muslims live in Athens, yet the city has only one official mosque with a capacity of 500 worshippers.
“The mosque in Athens was converted from a former prefabricated hangar belonging to the Hellenic Navy and has neither a dome nor a minaret. It opened in November 2020. Until then, Athens was the only European capital without a mosque,” Habip Oğlu said.
He also emphasized that historic Ottoman-era mosques in Athens—such as the Dizdaraga Mosque and the Fethiye Mosque—remain closed to worship.
Similar Situation in Selanik
Habip Oğlu added that a similar situation exists in Selanik, Greece’s second-largest city. He noted that historic mosques including the Hamza Bey Mosque, Hortacı Süleyman Efendi Mosque, Yeni Mosque, and Alaca Imaret Mosque are also closed for religious use.
Call for Respect for Freedom of Religion
Concluding his statement, the ABTTF President issued a strong call to the Greek authorities:
“As one of the oldest members of the European Union and a country that frequently claims to be the cradle of democracy, Greece must respond to the collective worship needs of thousands of Muslims living in Athens and Thessaloniki, fully respect freedom of religion and worship, and fulfill its obligations in this field.”
