There are 35 mosques in the city of Cologne, but these mosques can only broadcast the call to prayer on loudspeakers on Fridays.
The mosques of the city of Cologne have the right to broadcast the call to prayer for only five minutes on Friday between 12 noon and three in the afternoon.
This agreement is based on a two-year initiative. It is not yet clear whether these mosques will have the right to broadcast the call to prayer after two years.
Cologne Mayor Henriette Reeker wrote in a tweet that allowing the call to prayer was a sign of respect for her.
Viel Diskussion wg des Modellprojekts #Muezzin-Ruf. Köln ist die Stadt der (religiösen) Freiheit & Vielfalt. Wer am Hbf ankommt, wird vom Dom begrüßt und von Kirchengeläut begleitet. Viele KölnerInnen sind Muslime. Den Muezzin-Ruf zu erlauben ist für mich ein Zeichen des Respekts
— Henriette Reker (@HenrietteReker) October 9, 2021
She added that the sound of the call to prayer will be heard in the city like the sound of a church bell, indicating that there is diversity in the city and that it is being praised.
During the construction of the Central Mosque in Cologne, supporters of the place of worship assured the people that they would not emit the sound of the five azans through loudspeakers.
However, city officials have said that mosques should notify neighbors through loudspeakers before setting the call to prayer and adjust the speaker volume to the set limit.
There are about 4.5 million Muslims living in Germany, which is considered to be the largest religious minority in the country.
