Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque it is the largest historical mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the most representative Ottoman structures in the Balkans. Being the central Sarajevo's mosque since the days of its construction, today it also serves as the main congregational mosque of the Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque was built in 1530 as the central object of the Beg's endowment, which also included a maktab and a madrasa (Islamic primary and secondary schools), a bezistan (vaulted marketplace), a hammam (public bathplace) etc. It was the first mosque in the world to receive electricity and electric illumination in 1898 during the period of Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The mosque belongs to the type of complex-spaced, multi-domed mosques and it is a represent of the Early Period of Classical Ottoman Architecture (sometimes referred to as Early Istanbul Style). The central rectangular space, framed by high walls and covered with a dome resting on pendentives, represents the spine of the structure, while lower extensions lean to it and expand the volume of the interior space. The qibla side of the mosque is extended with a rectangular space which is covered by a semi-dome resting on two highly developed muqarnas structures. They stand in function of pendentives, reducing the rectangular outline of the ground level to the near semi-circle shape in level of the semi-dome. This area houses central architectural elements with religious purposes: mihrab, minbar and kursi and, being open to the central space with a huge arch, represents the focal point of the mosque.

The exterior is dominated by the main dome, topped out only by a simple, yet monumental minaret. The entry side is marked with a portico resting on four wide columns and covered with little domes, only the central one, above the portal, being a bit greater than others, and resting on muqarnas-adorned pendentives, in contrast to others which are laid on simple, plain-surfaced pendentives. The monumental portal is richly decorated with muqarnas, as well as columns' capitels.

During the Siege of Sarajevo, Serbian forces purposely targeted many centers of the city's culture, such as museums, libraries, and mosques, and fired on them generally. As the largest and best known, the Beg's mosque was an obvious target. Having suffered a significant amount of destruction, the reconstruction of the Mosque started with foreign help in 1996, right after the war. The old and faded layer of Austro-Hungarian decoration was removed and, since remains of older, historical layers of decorative painting weren't found, a completely new interior was designed and applied by Bosnian calligrapher Hazim Numanagić in 2001/2002. Austro-Hungarian decoration, performed mostly in pseudo-Moorish style, remains only on the portal of the Mosque today.

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Details

Founded: 1530
Category: Religious sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Dita Ling (4 months ago)
This mosque is meaningful since it is very close to the church, symbolising the peace between the religions.
Hamza (5 months ago)
A beautiful and authentic mosque with classic Ottoman architecture. It’s definitely worth a visit, and there’s no entrance fee. Just remember to dress appropriately when entering the mosque, make sure your attire is respectful to honor this sacred place.
Betul S (6 months ago)
Closed except pray times. If you want to visit outside of this hours you need to get a ticket from tourist info. Lovely representation of balkan architecture and some ‘kalam’ style drawings inside. Outside there’s open air namazgah for praying whenever.
Sri Megowati (7 months ago)
We came here for zohor prayers. Nice mosque just behind the Old Town Hotel where we were staying. Clean mosque and has a separate ablution place for women. May Allah grant goodness to the people who serve this mosque and upkeep it well. Well maintained till now.
Monika Karlińska (8 months ago)
Nice place to visit. Completed in 1532, the country's largest mosque and one of the main Ottoman complexes in the Balkans.
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