In Cologne today, the largest mosque in Germany was officially opened

One of the largest mosques in Europe, and the largest in Germany, was built in the Cologne district of Ehrenfeld thanks to the influential Muslim organization Ditib, which oversees the activities of hundreds of Islamic associations mainly representing members of the Turkish minority in Germany.

"Today we are witnessing a historic event. Ditib officially opens this mosque today, and I want to express my deepest thanks to those who contributed to it," Erdogan stated. He added that many people protested against this construction.

According to Erdogan, the mosque represents a building where there are no differences among people. "As Muslims, we must work together for peace," the Turkish president urged. He emphasized that the building should also be used for cultural events and symposia. He repeatedly stressed that true Muslims have nothing to do with terrorism. Erdogan also condemned the activities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara considers a terrorist organization.

Today, several demonstrations were supposed to take place in Cologne. The largest one near the mosque eventually attracted around 2,000 people, according to DPA estimates, which is significantly fewer than the initially expected 10,000. Another protest was organized, for example, by Kurds along the banks of the Rhine.

According to the DPA, the Turkish delegation was disappointed by the lack of support from the largest city in the Rhineland for today's celebration. Local authorities had already canceled the outdoor street festival for the opening of the mosque on Friday, as the Ditib organization reportedly did not submit a safety plan in light of the expected mass of people. Only invited guests were allowed into the mosque today.

Erdogan reportedly even considered not going to Cologne and flying straight back to Turkey due to the cancellation of the outdoor event. "But the president wants it to be a successful state visit, and therefore he decided to come to Cologne nonetheless," said Turkish MP Mustafa Yeneroglu.

The Cologne Central Mosque was supposed to be inaugurated back in 2012, but due to construction deficiencies, the ceremony had to be postponed several times. The mosque can accommodate 1,200 people, and its two minarets are 55 meters high.

Erdogan concludes his three-day state visit in Germany, with the declared goal of easing tensions between Germany and Turkey.