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23 November 2006
Berlin (dpa) – The number of mosques in Germany has risen by more than 10 per cent in the past two years and many more are under construction, the Central Institute of Islamic Archives said Thursday.
The head of the archives, Salim Abdullah, said Muslims in Germany could visit 159 mosques with domes and minarets, compared to 141 in 2004. In addition, some 128 mosques are under construction, Abdullah told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
The figures are contained in a study that is due to be released next month by the institute, which is based in the town of Soest.
Abdullah said that in addition to the so-called classical mosques there were hundreds of other prayer rooms and halls where religious services are held.
Abdullah put the number of Muslims in Germany at “around 1 million,” compared to 56,000 at the beginning of the 1980s.
Meanwhile, a real estate survey released by Dresdner Bank showed that the number of Christian churches in Germany was steadily declining because of falling congregations and lack of funds.
The newspaper Bild reported that in the diocese of Essen, services had been cancelled in 96 of the region’s 350 churches because of a fall-off in attendance.
Other uses were being sought for the churches, the report said.
According to the Federal Statistics Office there are nearly 30,000 religious dioceses in Germany, with many more churches.
DPA
Subject: German news