blue

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul is a major architectural landmark that can hold 10,000 people, has six minarets, and is bathed in blue light at night.

The Blue Mosque in Zürich is hidden in among some taller apartment buildings, hosts up to 200, has no minarets (they're famously forbidden here), and is painted cornflower blue.

Blaue Moschee Merkez, Zürich

This the kids and I learned today at the Tag der offenen Moscheen (Mosque open house day?). They were not exactly overrun with visitors: when we were there it was me and the kids, a couple who live nearby, and two religious studies students. Two very kind men of Turkish descent showed us around and sat and talked with us over tea and cake. It was kind of stark and very obviously a converted space, but the cushy carpet everywhere and the sincere welcome made it easy to see how this unassuming building would be an important part of home for Swiss Muslims and new immigrants.

We heard that one of the main goals of the umbrella association of mosques in Zurich is to get themselves officially recognized as a religious organization so that they can get state support - but this is a status that the Catholics in Zürich only won in 1961 and certain Jewish communities in 2005 (!), so nobody is holding their breath.

On the other hand, they made a point of speaking Hochdeutsch for the benefit of the American; and as we left the man who was showing us around got into a deep discussion with the couple about people they knew in common, so they're way more integrated than I am. I mean, obviously. But also, sigh...