Piedmont Moves to Block Turin Mosque Backed by Mohammed VI After Permit Is Granted
In Turin, a mosque receiving financial support from Mohammed VI has just been granted a building permit. But the vice-president of Piedmont wants to change planning rules to prevent it from being built. The project also includes student housing and cultural spaces open to the neighborhood.
The city has approved the conversion of the former Nebiolo foundries in the Aurora district. Backed by the Italian Islamic Confederation, the project is worth more than 15 million euros. According to RAI, the King of Morocco is contributing to its financing through the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.
The permit immediately prompted a regional response. This Monday, October 5, Maurizio Marrone, vice-president of Piedmont, announced that he intends to submit an amendment to urban planning legislation. He wants to introduce a requirement for a minimum distance between buildings and spaces intended for different religious activities, reports Torino Oggi.
The official makes no secret of his objective: to stop the project. He has singled out the planned minaret, about twenty meters high, and speaks of the city’s “wild Islamization.” His announcement opens a new political battle just as the developers have cleared the administrative hurdle they had been awaiting for several years.
Moroccan funding has also drawn criticism. Forza Italia is asking the municipality to clarify where the funds come from, who is financing the project and the terms of their contribution.
A mosque with 1,000 places, as well as a student residence
Presented in March 2025, the project backed by King Mohammed VI involves a complex of around 6,000 square meters. The prayer hall is expected to accommodate about 1,000 worshippers. Plans also include a library, study rooms, exhibition spaces and cafés open to the public.
The complex will also include a student residence. Walid Bouchnaf, coordinator of the Islamic Confederation, says it will have 80 beds, in an interview with La Repubblica. The developers plan to offer housing at moderate rates, under an agreement with the regional body responsible for student services.
The Confederation is now finalizing the detailed design. It is aiming to start work at the end of 2026, while Bouchnaf says construction will begin in early 2027. RAI estimates that the work will take at least three years.
The conversion will have to preserve the former foundry’s historic buildings. Corriere reports that the Soprintendenza, the heritage protection authority, approved the work in April. The factory, once devoted to printing equipment, gradually ceased operations between the late 1970s and early 1980s.
