Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mosque in Sarajevo
The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque in the heart of Baščaršija is the largest historic mosque in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the most important Ottoman buildings in the Balkans. Since it was built it has been Sarajevo's central mosque and the main congregational mosque of Bosnia's Muslims. It went up in 1530 to 1531 on the orders of Gazi Husrev-beg, the Ottoman governor of Bosnia, in the early classical Ottoman style; its architect is unknown, though tradition names Acem Esir Ali of Tabriz. It was the centrepiece of a great endowment that also included a primary school, a madrasa, a covered bazaar, a hammam and an inn, and it did more than anything to turn Sarajevo from a small town into a city. The courtyard has a lovely wooden ablution fountain and Husrev-beg's own mausoleum, and the old clock tower next door keeps lunar time for the prayers. One living tradition is that the call to prayer is still given by the unamplified human voice. It was badly damaged during the siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s, then restored and reopened in 2002. Facing it are the Husrev-beg Madrasa and the Gazi Husrev-beg Library, famous for its rare manuscripts.
Visitors are welcome outside prayer times in modest dress; women cover their hair, shoes off. The ticket includes the library museum next door. Allow an hour for the mosque, courtyard and museum. The loveliest moment is the sunset call to prayer, when people gather in the courtyard and the mosque is lit. Friday midday is very busy.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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MosqueSarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
