Frequently Asked Questions

• In the link below, in the last entry on the timeline, you will find an updated summary of the current status of the project and all the steps taken thus far.
• https://mezquitadesevilla.com/en/timeline/

The plot is located near the historic centre of Seville, between Poeta Manuel Benítez Carrasco and Ronda Nuestra Señora de la Oliva streets, right next to José Celestino Mutis Park and a short distance from the Virgen del Rocío train station, the police station, and conveniently situated on a bus line.

Close to Avenida de la Palmera, behind the Virgen del Rocío Hospital, it is easily accessible from anywhere: within walking distance of the main monuments, the land is well connected by highway, 20 minutes from Seville International Airport, and served by city bus routes right at the entrance to the property.

The location of the Islamic Cultural Centre in a developing neighbourhood will not only benefit the Muslim community, but will also generate a positive multiplier effect on neighbourhood life, contributing to its social, economic, and cultural revitalisation. It becomes an engine of progress and development for the entire area.

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• Our intention is for it to be located in a place that is of easy access and central, for the benefit of the city, the different Muslim communities and the thousands of Muslim tourists who visit us annually.
• The Muslim community has been established in different places in the center of Seville for more than 40 years, with a continuous history of civic coexistence with our neighbors.
• The exact location will not be known until the land is purchased. Different options are being considered, and we continue to receive, and open to receive, proposals for this. Both, plots of land and buildings that can be adapted to our needs.

The plot is private, purchased with private funds, and the project will be developed with private funds as well.

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• Our approach and vision since the project was resumed in 2014 is that it be done on private land, and for this end we are working.

We estimate being able to start at the end of 2026 or early 2027. The estimated duration of the work is between 18 and 24 months.

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• Our intention is that, once the land has been purchased, the project will be developed as quickly as possible. Currently, our efforts remain focused on the purchase of the land; once purchased, the dates and execution timeline of the project can be specified.

The current total budget, including the cost of the acquired parcel, is €10,868,491.

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• The estimated budget is roughly €15M as an indication and based on the land viewed, projected square meters, and preliminary plans already completed, including the purchase of the land, project development, construction, and taxes. However, keeping in mind that the variables remain open, this could change substantially.

The Seville Mosque Foundation has a consolidated financial base, resulting from the generosity and continuous support over recent years from numerous donors, collaborators, and the various campaigns conducted. Added to these resources are firm contribution commitments from individuals and institutions that have shown their support for the project, allowing us to face the planned phases with full guarantees. The management of these funds is carried out with total transparency and rigour, always prioritizing compliance with the deadlines and objectives set out in our work plan.

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• The Seville Mosque Foundation currently has capital exceeding €2M, received from donations over recent years.

The design by architect Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra does include a minaret, which will be a unique feature of the project. This minaret, like the rest of the building, complies strictly with current PGOU (General Urban Development Plan) regulations, as demonstrated in the municipal building permit granted on July 28, 2026.

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• The minaret, should the design include one, will comply—like the rest of the building—with current PGOU regulations.

On July 28, the Urban Planning Executive Commission officially approved the building permit for the Islamic Cultural Centre of Seville project. Therefore, a building permit is indeed in place, pending the completion of the execution project and the payment of remaining fees on our part before work begins.

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• The building permit is intrinsically linked to the project and the land where it is intended to be carried out. The urban planning permit is preceded by a basic project on a specific piece of land.
• Under the General Urban Development Plan (PGOU), plots of land and buildings already have an assigned zoning, permitted uses, as well as dimensions, etc.

Funding for the project will come primarily from private donors, including both individuals and institutional entities, who have already expressed their firm commitment to the project. These commitments, along with the donations received to date, form a solid foundation that allows us to move forward with full guarantees. In addition, over the coming months we will launch various fundraising campaigns—both nationally and internationally—to complete the different phases of the project, which will be announced through our official channels. Transparency and rigour in managing these resources have been, are, and will remain fundamental pillars of our actions.

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• We hope that the work done so far—and which we continue to do to promote the project—bears fruit, and that with the end of the pandemic we can resume all pathways undertaken, remaining always open to suggestions and new possibilities.
• Over recent years, the Seville Mosque Foundation has made public its most major donations and fundraising campaigns through our website and social media channels, and will continue to do so in order to provide clarity and public transparency regarding the origin of the funding.
• The Seville Mosque Foundation is subject, like any other entity or individual, to the Spanish Government's law on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as to submitting annual accounts to the Protectorate of Foundations of the Ministry of Culture and Sport.

The design of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Seville is the work of the renowned architect Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, and for us it is an honour and a privilege to be able to work with a professional of his standing. His proposal integrates contemporary innovation with Andalusian tradition, creating a dialogue between heritage and progress expressed in a modern architecture with historical roots. The design harmonises geometry, light, and fluid spaces, transforming courtyards, water features, and intricate patterns into a timeless space—open both architecturally and humanly: a place designed for meeting, reflection, and serenity that fits in with the urban architecture of Seville and will elevate its surroundings.

In the following link you can view infographics of the design, although it is important to bear in mind that they are indicative and that certain aspects may change, reserving the most precise architectural details, specific decorations, and interior design for a later stage of the project:

https://mezquitadesevilla.com/en/infographics-of-the-design-of-the-islamic-cultural-center-of-seville/

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• It is still too early to tell, and it will most likely be opened to an international public competition. What we would certainly like is that, even if it includes elements of the rich and beautiful architectural legacy of almost 800 years of Islam in our land, the building represents the present and future of Islam, not the past. And of course, that it is in harmony and accord with the architecture of the city.
• In the following link you can see some of the conceptual designs received to date. https://mezquitadesevilla.com/en/announcement/propuestas-de-disenos-conceptuales-para-el-centro-cultural-islamico-de-sevilla/

• From the Seville Mosque Foundation we give great importance to Spanish as a vehicular language to transmit a local Islam, which belongs to this land, which is not imported, nor is it culturally alien, which does not need any integration, which is not here temporarily, and that is communicated and transmitted in its local language, Spanish. As in Turkey, it is Turkish, in Indonesia, Indonesian, etc. Independently of the relevance that the Arabic language has as a vehicular language for the Muslims of the world and because it is the language of the revelation of the Quran.
• Not only are there already local imams, qualified according to the precepts of Islam, but second generations of Spaniards who have memorized the Quran, have the necessary knowledge, the Arabic language, and who have been transmitted love for their country and countrymen.

• The Seville Mosque Foundation is financed in compliance with its foundational purposes, from private donations or contributions, once-off or recurring, from NGOs, entities and individuals, which both Spaniards and foreigners are willing to carry out, in accordance with Spanish legislation. The Seville Mosque Foundation is subject to the special tax regime of non-profit entities and tax incentives for patronage, regulated in Title II of Law 49/2002, of December 23.
• On the Donations page you can find different ways to collaborate, and if required, we can provide a donation certificate, since donations received from third parties are subject to the tax deduction regime provided for in articles 16 to 24 of the aforementioned Law, as well as the final provision of Law 27/2014, of November 27.

• Any kind of help is always welcome! If you wish, you can contact us through the Foundation's email or telephone number.
• In the following page you may find different ways in which you can donate: https://mezquitadesevilla.com/en/donaciones/

• According to the demographic study of the Muslim population prepared by UCIDE (2020), Muslims represent 4% of the total population of Spain, with more than 2.2 million. According to this same study, there are 360,000 in Andalusia and 31,600 in the province of Seville, of which 9,000 live in the capital.
• We must also consider the growing community of converted Spanish Muslims, and second and third generation of these, that being Spanish of origin, and their identity documents not specifying the religion that one follows, nor there being any official record of these conversions or births, are more difficult to count.

• Yes, there are churches and cathedrals in many countries with a Muslim majority where the examples are innumerable and the coexistence exemplary.
• Morocco, with a population of approximately 35 million people, 23 thousand of whom are Catholic, has 4 bishops, 15 diocesan priests, 31 religious men, 10 non-priest religious men, and five lay missionaries and catechists, distributed across two ecclesiastical jurisdictions and 35 parishes. (https://www.vaticannews.va)
• In any case and without going to assess the laws of other countries, as Spanish citizens, we are guided by the constitutional law of our country, which in article 16 cites:
  • The ideological, religious and religious freedom of individuals and communities is guaranteed without further limitation, in its manifestations, than is necessary for the maintenance of public order protected by law.
  • No one may be compelled to testify about his ideology, religion or beliefs.
  • No confession will have a state character. The public powers will take into account the religious beliefs of Spanish society and will maintain the consequent relations of cooperation with the Catholic Church and other confessions.

• The phenomenon of immigration, something inherent to the human being and its history, of which unfortunately our country and our grandparents have witnessed as emigrants for years, is a phenomenon of mainly socioeconomic, military or political causes, in no case promoted or encouraged for the search for mosques where to pray. Even more so, when in many of the countries where they emigrate from there are mosques in each neighborhood.
• What it can do for sure, is to serve as an integrating element for those already living here. The Muslim population will not grow because a mosque is built, but their lives, the expression of their faith and the image of these towards their neighbors will certainly be dignified.

In recent weeks we have been witnessing a disinformation and harassment campaign targeting our project which, although coming from a minority, is proving noisy and recurrent. Faced with this situation, the Seville Mosque Foundation remains steadfast in its purpose and will take all necessary measures, within the strict framework of legality, the Constitution, and human rights, to guarantee that this legitimate and legal project stays its course.

At the same time, the support we are receiving is immense. Institutions, organizations, representatives of other faiths, neighbors, and ordinary citizens are offering us their support both publicly and privately, and this response strengthens us and drives us to move forward with the same enthusiasm and determination that has brought us to this point.

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• The broadest, most consistent, and solid response we have always received has been positive on the part of institutions, organizations, representatives of other faiths, and society in general. This despite the negative image that may be presented by a distinct minority, based on an islamophobia, racism, and xenophobia that are unacceptable in our society.
• The Muslim community has been living in Seville and praying in "mosques" for over 40 years, sharing a civic coexistence with their neighbors and surrounding area. Any opposition that might exist among certain sectors of society to the dignification of this reality would be difficult to understand.
• As the Cordoban Ibn Rushd (Averroes) said: "Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hate, and hate leads to violence." Our organization will always work to build bridges and shed light on ignorance.

• We have always expressed, profusely and constantly, our feeling of rejection without palliative against all types of terrorism and extremism, and in particular those unjustifiably perpetuated in the name of Islam and Muslims. At the same time, we have always shown our support to the Governments and security forces of the States, and all those who fight against this nihilistic, atrocious, and anti-Islamic phenomenon. And against those who use the pain caused and the victims for political purposes.
• Muslims are an indispensable part of the society that fights, openly and energetically, against terrorism, since it is mostly Muslims who suffer these atrocities and their consequences on a daily basis, directly and indirectly, throughout the world.

• Islamophobia is an unquestionable social reality that must be stopped from all sectors of society.
• We believe that there should be a clear distinction between Islamophobia, xenophobia, racism and aporophobia, often deliberately mixed.
• At the same time, we have always called for a proactive response from the Muslim community, not reactive or victimizing. From internal criticism and seeing what we can do so that people see Islam for its light and reality.

• Both entities were founded by the Islamic Community in Spain, an entity registered with the Ministry of Justice since 1979 and a statutory member of the Islamic Commission of Spain, with registration number 019861 and CIF; R1800187E.
• The Granada Mosque Foundation inaugurated in July 2003 the Mosque of Granada, after 25 years of incessant work. It will soon be 20 years since its opening, having been an example of coexistence with its neighbors, city and authorities.
• Although with notable differences, due to the time, place and experience acquired, the Seville Mosque Foundation project is based on the work and precedent of this emblematic and exemplary place.

• The Seville Mosque Foundation was constituted as an entity for the construction and management of the Islamic Cultural Center of Seville, and has among its purposes the promotion and development of all kinds of activities aimed at the dissemination and knowledge of cultural and religious life in accordance with the teachings of the Islam. Favouring activities and projects that may be beneficial in the cultural, social, civic, educational, sporting, ecological-environmental and economic spheres.
• Therefore, we work in order to maintain a balance between the work for the future project and the activity and social reality of the present, through the regular activities, events and services that are provided mainly at our headquarters and mosque, in the Plaza Ponce de León.

One of the most common recent allegations has been that we should go to our country to do it. The reality is that we are in our country. A large part of the Muslim community of Seville is native to this city. The promoters of this project are Spanish citizens, born in Spain to Spanish parents and grandparents. We are not asking for a favor; we are exercising our right, as enshrined in the constitution, and we are doing so without costing the public purse a single cent. What is more, with this project, we are contributing by paying all corresponding taxes. But we also want to emphasize that this project is for all Muslims and all people of this city without distinction.

We want to address one of the false accusations that has generated the most controversy. At no time and in no place have we used the expression "Muslim priority". This was an unfortunate linguistic licence taken by a writer. Our master plan includes the possibility of offering health care open to everyone equally, with special attention to the needs that Muslims have due to Islamic dietary precepts, which other centres generally do not take into account. That is all. Everything else is a manufactured conflict generated to polarise public opinion and gain political leverage.

Islam is not a culture, and we, as Spanish Muslims, share the culture of this country. What is more, Islamic precepts obligate us to respect the laws and culture of the country in which we live. As Muslims, we want to contribute to Seville's society, just as the various minority faiths present here do: Mormons, Jews, or Buddhists. We do not seek nor want to impose anything, only to express our belief in a dignified manner and as a community, as enshrined in Article 16 of the Constitution, which states that not only individual expression is protected, but also collective expression.

We have concrete examples that disprove the alleged "Islamisation". The Great Mosque of Granada has been open for 23 years in the Albaicín and the neighbourhood has not been "Islamised"; coexistence with the neighbours is fruitful for everyone, and the Mosque has helped generate wealth for the area. Our own experience of over 20 years in Plaza Ponce de León is another example, as are many others.

The cultural centre, as well as all facilities, including the mosque, will be open to everyone: women, men, and children. We do not know what the false allegation that women will not be allowed entry is based on, as it has no historical, Islamic, cultural, or practical foundation. Mosques all over the world, from California to Turkey or Pakistan, are open to women, and those that are not should be. This is what Islamic tradition shows, what our understanding of Islam demands, and what we put into practice, for instance, in our prayer hall in Plaza Ponce de León.

Another false accusation that has been made is that this project is using resources that should be allocated to other purposes in the neighbourhood. Nothing could be further from the truth. This project is planned on a private plot of land, purchased with private funds, and will be developed using private funds as well. In fact, this will be the largest private investment in cultural infrastructure made in the area. The Islamic Cultural Centre will expand the cultural services in Polígono Sur without costing the public purse a single euro or depriving residents of any other services. Furthermore, we will support the neighbours in ensuring all their needs are addressed.

For more than 20 years, the Seville Mosque Foundation has operated under a policy of transparency. We publish all our activities and annual reports, just as we have made public our intention to build an Islamic Cultural Centre in Seville from the very beginning. Over the years, various options have been evaluated until settling on the plot of land we now hold in Polígono Sur. This plot has the urban planning designation required for this purpose, meaning the urban plan already accounts for a building with these characteristics. In fact, we purchased it from the Mormon Church with the approval of the Regional Government of Andalusia. We have provided information and maintained contact, both at municipal and local levels, with all interested parties who have requested it from us. Naturally, we are open to dialogue, and this is something we have been doing with all local residents for years.

Regarding technical matters concerning the use of the building, we refer to the favorable technical report we have already received from the Urban Planning Management authority. Subsequently, and prior to the granting of the permit, new technical and legal reports were requested which, once again, endorsed the viability of the project. The permit was finally granted on July 28, 2026, and since then we have been working with the peace of mind of having all necessary legal and technical backing. Our only expectation is that this project be treated in accordance with current planning regulations and legality, like any other, and that current ideology and political circumstances are not imposed over the law.