What is the alternative name for the mosque at this centre?

The building is known as the Imam Ali Mosque and is frequently called the Blue Mosque.

Who was responsible for designing the building and grounds?

Architekturbüro Schramm und Elingius collaborated with engineer Parviz Zargarpour on the building, while Gustav Lüttge served as the landscape architect for the garden and fountain.

What architectural styles define the structure?

The building blends eastern and western architectural styles, highlighted by blue ceramic exterior tiles.

How was the construction of the complex funded?

Funding came from private donations across the Iranian community, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Husayn Borujerdi, the Iranian Endowments Administration, and an Iranian sugar tax, refusing all German state assistance.

Why did the local community refer to the site as the Iranians' Mosque?

Iranian rug traders and community members initiated the project and provided sustained financial backing.

Hamburg · Germany

Islamic Centre Hamburg: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Newcomers settling around the Outer Alster discover that quiet residential avenues carry a long legacy of Iranian merchant trade, leaving long-term residents to balance strict building preservation codes against the routines of a major port metropolis.

Islamic Centre Hamburg · CC BY-SA 4.0

Map of places

About the place

Blue tilework along the Outer Alster marks the oldest Islamic place of worship in Hamburg, founded through the commercial ties of Iranian merchant families.

Carpet traders from Iran established the religious community after meeting at the Atlantic Hotel to organise a permanent house of prayer. Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Husayn Borujerdi backed the construction while barring German state or non-governmental funding, ensuring total financial independence. When construction debt threatened the project, a dedicated sugar levy in Tehran covered the outstanding bank loans.

Read on

Architects Schramm und Elingius collaborated with Iranian engineer Parviz Zargarpour to unite European and Persian building styles. City authorities initially blocked construction over green-space zoning and facade regulations until local politicians resolved the dispute. Landscape architect Gustav Lüttge designed the courtyard fountain and grounds, which now hold legal heritage protection across the entire site.

Private donations from local residents and Tehran funded the distinctive blue exterior tiles installed under Mohammad Bagher Ansari. The centre functioned as a hub for inter-religious dialogue alongside regular services. Early leadership under Mohammad Beheshti actively challenged German press hostility, advocating for the term Muslim in public discourse while handling persistent municipal friction.

Associations

Blue MosqueOrnate blue tiling marks the oldest Islamic place of worship in the city.
Persian carpet merchantsIranian rug traders funded the initial land acquisition and community organisation.
Municipal zoning disputesLocal planners resisted the site due to strict green space regulations and codes.
Protected cultural ensemblePreservation laws protect the building, fountain, grounds, and perimeter fence.

Facts

The mosque ensemble including its fountain, garden, and boundary fence is protected as cultural property under German heritage law.
Construction financing relied on Iranian donor backing and a dedicated municipal sugar tax in Tehran rather than German state subsidies.
Architects Schramm und Elingius partnered with engineer Parviz Zargarpour after winning an open design competition.
The founding board originated from an Iranian expatriate assembly held at the Atlantic Hotel.

Updated September 8, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Islamic Centre Hamburg: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

What is around33

Blue tilework along the Outer Alster marks the oldest Islamic place of worship in Hamburg, founded through the commercial ties of Iranian merchant families.

Getting there and staying

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